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PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN 



SPECIAL HISTORY 



OF THK 



Methodist Episcopal Church 



AND INCIDENTALLY OF 



OTHER DE^OMIl^ATIOWS. 



NOTICES OF THE ORIGIN AND GROWTH OF THE PRINCIPAL TOWNS AND CITIES OF 

THE STATE; BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES OF MANY PROMINENT PASTORS AND 

LAYMEN CONNECTED WITH THE BIRTH AND GROWTH OF 

PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 



ILLUSTRATED. 



BY ELIJAH H. PILCHEB, D. D. 



DETROIT: 

B. D. S. TYLER & CO., PUBLISHERS, 

66 Gkiswolu Street. 









Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year Eighteen Hundred and Seventy -eight, by 
ELIJAH H. PILCHER, 
in the office of the Libraiian of Congress, at Washington, D. C. 






COMPOSITION BY 

W. H. SWAIL, 66 Griswold St., Detroit 



X 



Rand & Whittlesey, Griswold St. 
Electrotypers. 



Emil Schober, 7 Fort St. West, 
Bookbinder. 



Engravings by 
The Western Engraving Co., Detroit. 



Press-work by 
Wm. Graham, 52 Bates St. 



TO THE 

PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN, 

AMONG WHOM I HAVE LIVED SO PLEASANTLY AND LABORED 

FOR SO MANY YEARS, THIS VOLUME 

IS AFFECTIONATELY 

DEDICATED. 

THE AUTHOR 



PREFACE. 

It is now over twenty years since the idea was entertained by 
me of writing a History of the introduction and growth of Method- 
ism in this State, and I began to make preparations to do so. I 
thought I had rare opportunities for such a work, being personally 
acquainted with the first five persons who made a profession of a 
Christian experience, and who, with two others, constituted the first 
Christian Protestant Church in Michigan; and, also, being person- 
ally and well acquainted with the minister who was sent here in 
1 815 — the first after the War of 181 2. From these persons the 
lack of documentary statement was supplied. These persons are 
all deceased now. Having come into Michigan in 1830, and having 
been extensively connected with the work at an early day, added 
to my means of presenting facts, I have continued this work, with 
various interruptions, to the present day. 

No one who has never undertaken such a task can form any 
conception of the difficulty of obtaining accurate information. I 
might have had this work ready years ago had it not been for a 
desire to be accurate. I myself have, from time to time, published 
short sketches, some of which contained errors. This work con- 
tains the latest and most accurate information that I have been 
able to obtain; and if there should, in anycase.be found a dis- 
crepancy between any of those sketches and this work, this is to be 
the authority. 

I should explain, also, why such prominence is given to the 



Methodist Church over others in a work entitled " Protestantism." 
The fact is this: the first purpose was simply that of Methodism, but 
I had obtained so much information as to others, as to enable me to 
give an outline of them, which I have done. I have desired, also, to 
furnish more in regard to other Churches, but have found it impos- 
sible to obtain the information, as those who had it, or the means of 
obtaining it, either neglected or declined to furnish it. But they will 
find here embodied, in regard to their own Churches, what they, will 
not find elsewhere without a great deal of time and labor. 

This work has cost me a vast amount of toil, as well as a con 
siderable amount of money. Some will be disappointed in one way 
and some in another. I cannot hope to satisfy everybody. But such 
as it is I now commit it to the public. Whatever may be thought of 
its style, the statement of facts are reliable and valuable for all. 

ELIJAH H. PILCHER. 

Detroit, Mich., March 12th, 1878. 



ENGRAVINGS. 



PAGE. 

Albion College, 385 

Central Methodist Church, Detroit, . . . . .199 

Council Held at Saginaw, . . . . . . .279 

Desolation, ......... 24 

First Protestant Church in Michigan, ..... 84 

First M. E. Church, Jackson, 358 

First M. E. Church, Kalamazoo, ...... 256 

Grand Rapids in 1830, ....... 334 

PORTRAITS. 

Rev. J. M. Arnold 431 

" W. H. Brockway, 284 

" B. F. Cocker, 242 

" W. H. Collins, 204 

" Arthur Edwards, 435 

" L. R. Fiske, ........ 399 

" E. O. Haven, ........ 239 

" D. C. Jacokes, ........ 327 

" Luther Lee, ........ 356 

" E. H. Pilcher. ...... Frontispiece. 

' J. H. Potts, 416 

" H. F. Spencer 382 

" J. T. Robe, 260 

L. R. Atwater, 348 

H. Fish, , 331 

John Owen, . . . . . , . . . .139 

Mary A. Palmer, 145 

David Preston, ......... 394 

William Phelps, 198 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN 
MICHIGAN. 

CHAPTER I. 

Introductory — Jesuits — Their Course Accounted for — The Case with Protestants — Tenderest 
Ties Sundered — Detroit Isolated — English-Speaking Population — First Settlers — Settled 
1701 — State of Society — First Methodist Preacher, 1804 — Freeman — Rev. David Bacon — 
N. Bangs — Detroit Burned — Bangs' Second Visit — W. Case — Territory Organized — Efforts 
to Save Detroit — New City — Bichard Preaches 1807 — Case Appointed — Prospect — Society 
Organized — Members — First Quarterly Meeting — Koads and Accommodations — Case's Diffi- 
culties — Mrs. Abbott — Conversion of Mr. Abbott — First Camp-Meeting — N. Holmes — Wm. 
Mitchell — Retrospect. 

St//^H^SN examination of the circumstances and facts connected 
with the introduction of the Christian religion and church 
into a new country, or incident thereto, always forms an 
interesting subject of contemplation ; and especially if that 
new country, in its settlement, is isolated or far removed 
from the rest of the world. Such a subject we have before us 
^ at this time. The work of planting the gospel in such a coun- 
£ try is always attended with much sacrifice of ease and comfort, 
" and accompanied with severe labor upon the part of those minis- 
^ ters who have consented to be its messengers. The self-sacri- 
fices of the Roman Catholic missionaries, who have left their country 
to carry their religion to distant lands, and sometimes to barbarous 
tribes, have been made the theme of many a panegyric, and have 
been held up as a proof of their love of religion. But their course 
of life may be accounted for on other principles than a love for 
religion or the souls of the people; for they were set apart for the 
work of the priesthood without any reference to a divine call to 
that office, or even without any profession of spiritual regeneration, 
and they had chosen that as a mere occupation rather than some- 
thing else. They could — as they did — easily become associates of 
Indians, or any savage tribes, which contributed largely to their 




IO HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

success among them. Taking- this view, we may readily account 
for the course adopted by them independently of any love for the 
interests of humanity. We, however, are disposed to give them 
full credit for sincerity and an honest purpose to diffuse what they 
believed to be the true religion. 

The case is far different with Protestant ministers — with those 
who came forth into the wilderness to proclaim the everlasting 
gospel to the scattered dwellers in the wilderness, or to uncivilized 
tribes. These have been taught that their religion, so far from 
destroying their natural relationships, only tends to refine and exalt 
them — it makes the endearments of home only more dear — father, 
mother, brother, sister, wife or children are the more dear to them, 
while their love for these is only subordinated by their love for their 
divine Saviour. With these, then, there must be a sundering of the 
tenderest cords that exist in the human heart ; and nothing but a 
thorough conviction of a divine call to the work could have impelled 
them to go out as laborers in such a field. This was particularly 
the case with the men who first established Protestantism in the city 
of Detroit. No hope of glory among men or pecuniary emoluments 
offered them any inducements to make the sacrifice of the endear- 
ments of home and to endure the labors and privations, and brave 
the perils, necessarily connected with travel as ministers in this new, 
and then distant country ; for it is to be remembered that the settle- 
ment at Detroit was, during its early history, and until a compara- 
tively recent date, almost entirely separated from all other settle- 
ments of any importance. The route across Canada from Montreal 
or Buffalo was beset with many difficulties and perils, and attended 
with almost incredible labors and hardships ; and it was nearly 
impossible to reach it from any other direction. 

A few English and American adventurers had braved the diffi- 
culties of settlement here. Stimulated either by the hope of repair- 
ing dilapidated fortunes, or carving out new ones, or perhaps by a 
disrelish for more refined society, or perhaps from a spirit of adven- 
ture without any very definite object in view, they had intermingled 
themselves with the old French population and the Indians. There 
were also a few soldiers in the garrison. This was the English- 
speaking population with which the first Protestant missionaries had 
to associate and labor. Surely not a very promising prospect of 
success. 

Another thing, also, is to be called to mind — that is, that the 
first settlers at Detroit were French Roman Catholics ; that the first 
company who came out to make the settlement, with La Motte de 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. I I 

Cadillac \ had a Catholic priest sent out with them as a necessary 
appendage; that, therefore, from the first settlement in 1701, until 
the place came into the possession of the English Government in 
1760, the entire population was French and Indians. They were all 
Roman Catholics, for even the Indians had substituted the cere- 
monies of Romanism for their old rites. From the time it came into 
the hands of the British, until it passed into the hands of the United 
States in 1796, the entire English-speaking population, with a few 
exceptions, consisted of the soldiers in the garrison. After the city 
and country had passed into the possession of the United States 
until after the war of 181 2, but few English or Americans had turned 
their attention in this direction, so that the whole population became 
largely imbued with the French spirit and frivolity; and, of course, 
they were but little inclined to true piety. From the newness of the 
country, and from its isolation, there was scarcely any commerce 
except the fur trade, and that was carried on by means of Indian 
canoes coasting along the bays and shores of the lake. The long 
winters were passed without any serious or valuable employment, as 
nothing to which they could turn their attention could be remuner- 
ative, for the want ol commerce. The consequence was, their time 
was spent in idle frivolity, which is adverse to mental or spiritual 
culture. 

The wants of the people were few and easily supplied, and no 
necessity was felt for any considerable mental culture. As the 
natural result of this state of things, the people gave themselves up, 
especially during the winter months, to pleasure, particularly to 
music and dancing, which tended to weaken the mind, vitiate the 
moral sensibilities, and to disincline them to religion. The mere 
ceremonies of Romanism did not lay any restraint on the people in 
these respects. 

We have now given a general view of the country and society 
up to 1804. While the people were so given up to pleasure they 
were not a little startled, in the spring of 1804, by the announcement 
that a Methodist minister, or preacher, had come to the place and 
would preach on the next Sabbath afternoon. The very announce- 
ment had astonished them greatly, and their astonishment was 
unabated when they heard him. He preached the gospel in a very 
plain and earnest manner, accompanied by the unction and power of 
the Holy Spirit. This was the first Methodist sermon ever preached 
in Michigan. The preacher was a venerable-looking man. His 
name was Freeman. He was a local preacher from Canada, and 
remained but a few days. Whence he came and whither he went 



I 2 HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

the people did not concern themselves to know. No very perma- 
nent good was accomplished, except that Mrs. Maria C. McCarty 
received such convictions for sin as never left her till she was con- 
verted some years afterwards. 

This was generally supposed, for a long time, to have been the 
first Protestant sermon ever delivered in Detroit. But this is found 
to be a mistake ; for Rev. David Bacon had been sent out by a 
society in Connecticut to establish a mission among the Indians at 
Mackinaw and in the Northwest. He was a Congregational minis- 
ter. He, finding no opening among the Indians, stopped in Detroit, 
and had preached a few times before Mr. Freeman came. He 
came to Detroit in 1801. What success he had will hereafter be 
related. He had no converts and was quickly forgotten by the 
people. Moravian ministers had spent a winter in Michigan — about 
1 780 — with their Indian flocks who had been driven from Ohio by 
persecution, but they did not make any attempt at preaching among 
the white people. 

The astonishment and wonder of the people caused by the 
meteor-like visit of Mr. Freeman had but just died away, and he 
had been nearly forgotten, when another, a youthful and energetic 
man, made his appearance at Detroit, as if he had dropped down 
from heaven, -and announced that he was a Methodist preacher. 
This was in July or August, probably the latter, 1804. He opened 
his mission among them for a few times and then disappeared. This 
was the active, talented and laborious Nathan Bangs, who afterwards 
shone so conspicuously in the affairs of the Methodist Episcopal 
Church, and stood so deservedly high in its councils, and became its 
historian. 

At the session of the New York Conference, held in the city of 
New York, beginning July 12th, 1804, Nathan Bangs was appointed 
to the River Le French — that is, the Thames — Circuit in Upper 
Canada District, and came to Detroit with the intention of making it 
a regular appointment of his Circuit. For a long time it was sup- 
posed that this was the first Protestant preaching that had ever been 
had here. But Mr. Freeman had been here before him and Mr. 
Bacon had preached and was still here. Dr. Bangs, in his history, 
says he met here a Congregational preacher, who had been preach- 
ing for a while, until nobody would come to hear him except a few 
children. He said to the young and zealous itinerant, " If you can 
do the people any good, I shall be glad of it, for I cannot/' This 
was Mr. Bacon of whom we have before spoken. Mr. Bangs made 
three visits — the first two on a week day evening and the third and 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. I 3 

last on a Sabbath. At the first, he states " the light-hearted people 
flocked to hear" him, but at the third, which was on the Sabbath, 
only a few children came out to hear him. So he left them, wiping 
off the dust from his feet as a testimony against them. This last 
visit was in the month of October, 1804, or early in November of 
that year. 

A few months after this the whole town was consumed by fire 
except one house. Detroit, at the time, contained about one hundred 
and fifty houses. Dr. Bangs, in his history of the Methodist Episco- 
pal Church, says that the town was consumed by fire a few weeks 
after his last visit; and this statement is repeated by Dr. Stevens in 
his life and times of Dr. Bangs. But this statement is incorrect as to 
time, as Mr. Bangs left in the last of October or early in November, 
1804, and the fire did not occur until the eleventh day of June, 1805. 
The error, however, refers only to the date and not the fact. Whether 
this destruction had any relation to their rejection of the gospel, every 
one must judge for himself. 

Dr. Bangs furnished us with the following note respecting his 
second visit to Detroit. He says : " I preached in the old council 
house on a week-day evening The house was pretty well filled with 
hearers. While preaching there arose a terrible thunder storm ; the 
lightning flashed, the thunder rolled through the heavens with awful 
noise. But I kept on preaching. I was afterwards informed that two 
young men sat trembling, fearing that God was about to strike them 
dead for what they had done, as they had put powder into the candles 
in the expectation that they would burn down to the powder and ex- 
plode during the sermon. They were disappointed, as I concluded 
my sermon and closed the meeting without any accident, though they 
said when I took up the candle to see to read my hymn, they feared 
the explosion would take place and burn my face and eyes." Mr. 
Bangs, though not the first Protestant minister who preached here, 
was nevertheless the first who came with the design of supplying 
them with the word of life. That his predecessors had preached 
here was only accidental, and incidental to something else. But the 
aole business of Mr. Bangs was to preach to the people. What an 
amount of zeal it must have required to undertake this work ! His 
nearest appointment was on the River Thames, about forty miles dis- 
tant, and an almost impassable road to be passed over to reach it; yet 
he came, and would have continued to do so had there been any hope 
of doing good. Detroit was thus abandoned by Protestant ministers 
and the people left to themselves to pursue their follies unrestrained. 

Five years now roll over this dark city before any other effort is 



14 HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

made to Protestantize the place or to afford services for those who 
were already Protestants. We have no records or information that 
any minister of any Protestant denomination ever visited or preached 
an occasional sermon after November, 1804, till in the summer of 
1809. According to the general minutes of the Methodist Episco- 
pal Church, at a session of the New York Conference which embraced 
all this country, held in May, 1809, Rev. William Case, a talented, 
active, energetic and persevering young man, a member of that Con- 
ference, was appointed to Detroit. This is the first time the place 
appears on the records of the Church, or among the lists of appoint- 
ments. What the circumstances were which led to the appointment 
at this time, it is impossible now to determine with certainty. The 
Conference session, which was held in the City of New York, com- 
menced May 10th. There was no Society, and no particular prospect 
of organizing one, as there were no Protestant professors of religion, 
as far as known, in this city or even in the Territory. The fact that 
the Territorial Government of Michigan had been organized for four 
years, and that Detroit was the residence of the Territorial officers, 
and the importance of the locality itself, certainly indicated that this 
field ought to be occupied. It is further probable that Mr. Robert 
Abbott, who was a fur-trader, in some of his visits to Montreal had 
taken occasion to solicit Methodist preaching, as he, doubtless, re- 
tained some recollection of the visits of Mr. Freeman and Mr. Bangs. 
This supposition is strengthened by the fact that when Mr. Case came 
to Detroit he found a home with Mr. Abbott. It is now surprising 
that a Territorial Government should have existed for four years be- 
fore any denomination of Protestant Christians should have made any 
vigorous and persistent effort to establish true Christianity among 
the people; but such is the fact. It is very true there were but few 
people in the Territory except the French, and they were Romanists. 
The Territory of Michigan was organized in 1804 — that is, the 
law was passed providing for it — and the officers were appointed so 
as to put the Government into operation the following year ; and Gen- 
eral Hull, who had been appointed Governor, arrived at Detroit on 
June 1 2th, 1805, to enter upon the duties of his office. He found the 
city in ashes, the whole town having been consumed by fire, except 
one house, on the preceding day. No special effort was made by the 
panic-stricken people to save the town or to extinguish the flames, 
except that the Catholic priest fell down on his knees and said low 
mass. The following is the account given of this sad event, by Mr. 
Dilhett, one of the resident Catholic priests : " I was occupied with 
Mr. Richard, when a messenger came to inform us that three houses 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 1 5 

had been already consumed, and there was no hope of saving the rest. 
I exhorted the faithful who were present to help each other, and imme- 
diately commenced the celebration of low mass, after which we had 
barely time to remove the vestments and furniture of the church, with 
the effects of the adjoining presbytery, when both buildings were 
enveloped in the flames. In the course of three hours, from 9 o'clock 
a. m. till noon, nothing was to be seen of the city except a mass of 
burning coals and chimney tops stretching like pyramids into the air. 
Fortunately there was no wind during the conflagration, which allowed 
the flames and smoke to ascend to a prodigious height, giving the city 
the appearance of an immense funeral pile. It was the most majestic, 
and at the same time the most frightful spectacle I ever witnessed. 
The city contained at least one hundred and fifty houses, mostly frame, 
which caused the fire to spread with the utmost rapidity. The number 
of people in the town being unusually large, there was ample force 
for removing the merchandise and furniture of the inhabitants, which 
were in great measure saved. No personal injury was sustained 
during the fire." * 

This was the condition of affairs when Governor Hull arrived to 
enter upon the duties of his office. The General Government rendered 
important assistance to the inhabitants in this time of their calamity. 
They also granted to the city a large tract of land — ten thousand acres, 
A new city was laid out under the supervision of Judge Woodward, 
who was a man of some eccentricity and who had some peculiar ideas 
of taste ; after whom one of the great avenues was named. He desired 
to give the new city the form of a spider's web, which he did in part 
— a form which, though fine on paper, has been found to be very incon- 
venient in practice ; and it has been very much broken in upon in 
more modern utilitarian days. After such a calamity and with so little 
connection with the commercial world, as might have been expected, 
the growth of the city was very slow for many years. 

In 1807, there being no Protestant minister in Detroit or in the 
Territory of Michigan, the Governor of the Territory, General Hull, 
and other Protestant gentlemen, invited Mr. Richard, the Roman 
Catholic priest, to preach to them in the Council House, in the 
English language. He consented to do so, though he spoke the 
language very indifferently. On one occasion he tried to quote 
the expression, "Ye are my sheep." He said, " Ye are my mut- 
tons." But this showed that these officers and gentry wanted 
some religious service and thought that an indifferent one was 
better than none. In writing to his bishop in regard to this mat- 
ter, Mr. Richard uses the following language; "Although I was 

♦Metropolitan Almanac, 1855. 



1 6 HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

sensible of my incapacity, as there was no English minister here 
of any denomination, I thought it might be of some utility to take 
possession of the ground." In accordance with this invitation, 
he held meetings at noon every Sunday in the Council House, in 
the English language, for some time, and delivered instructions 
" on the general principles of the Christian religion, the principles 
to be adopted in the investigation of truth, the causes of errors, 
the spirituality and immortality of the soul, and the evidenes of 
Christianity in general," intending at a later period to present the 
peculiar doctrines of the Romish Church. But he never reached the 
latter topic. Thus things continued for two years longer. This was 
the condition of affairs when Rev. William Case received his appoint- 
ment to this field. He was appointed as a missionary, without any 
Missionary Society to support him. Here was an open field — at least 
there was no Protestant competition. But sin was rife and folly 
predominant. 

This field would have presented a very dark and forbidding 
prospect, had it not been that the Circuit extended into Canada and 
embraced a few societies there. Yet they were so distant and small 
that the dark horizon was not relieved by them. But our mis- 
sionary came in the name of his Master, and opened his mission in 
the strength of Divine grace. He labored and prayed — sowed the 
seed and watered it with his tears, and though the year closed and 
no Society was organized in the city or on this side of the river, it 
was not in vain, as we shall see ; for, before he finally left for the 
Conference, he had the satisfaction of knowing that he had not la- 
bored altogether for naught, as one man had been converted, of 
whom a more particular account will be given hereafter. In a few 
months after he left, a Society was organized by a successor sent 
from the Western Conference, which increased to about thirty mem- 
bers in the next two years, and was prospering, when the War of 
1812 broke out and scattered most of them. 

The first Protestant religious Society, or Church, which was a 
Methodist one, in Michigan, was organized in Detroit in the autumn 
of 1 8 10, by Rev. William Mitchell. We have seen that Mr. Case 
left without effecting this object. But the good work had been 
begun by the conversion of Robert Abbott, which was quickly fol- 
lowed by that of Mrs. Abbott, of her sister Mrs. McCarty and 
her husband, and three or more of their neighbors. Nearly three 
months intervened between the time that Mr. Case left and the 
coming of his successor, William Mitchell, from the Western Con- 
ference, which included Ohio, West Virginia and a part of Kentucky. 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. I 7 

Ninian Holmes was also sent from the Genesee Conference. The 
former gathered the converts into a Church. This first Church was 
composed of seven members, viz : Robert Abbott, Betsey Abbott his 
wife, Wm. McCarty, Maria C. McCarty his wife, William Stacy, 
Betsey Stacy his wife, and Sarah Macomb Wm. McCarty was 
appointed class-leader. These have all died in the faith and have 
gone to receive their reward. This was the beginning of Protestant 
Christianity in this peninsula. 

According to the Minutes of the New York Conference for 
1809, Joseph Sawyer was the Presiding Elder of Upper Canada 
District, which included Detroit Circuit, but there are no recollec- 
tions of his having visited Michigan. It is probable he did not, 
as there was no Society formed till after the next Conference. 
The first quarterly meeting ever held in Michigan, with love feast, 
baptism and the sacrament of the Lord's Supper, was held by Wm. 
Mitchell, in the spring of 1811, in the house of William Weaver, 
a Roman Catholic, on the River Rouge. The next year, 181 2, 
Rev. Henry Ryan was Presiding Elder, and attended the second 
quarterly meeting in this peninsula. It was held in the house of 
Robert Abbott, in Detroit. The time is not definitely settled, 
though it is probable it was late in the autumn of 181 1. We think 
that this was the fact from two considerations or circumstances : 
All the old members agreed that it was in the autumn and within a 
year of the time the Church was organized ; and, in the next place, 
the interest created by the conversion of Mr. Abbott and his friends, 
and the consequent organization of a Methodist Church or Society, 
would have induced the preacher in charge to have a quarterly meet- 
ing and a visit from the Presiding Elder as soon as possible. We 
may safely say, then, that the second* occasion of the administration 
of baptism and of the sacrament of the Lord's Supper, by Protestant 
hands in Michigan, was in the autumn of 181 1, under the direction 
of Rev. Henry Ryan, Presiding Elder, assisted by Rev. Ninian Llolmes, 
the preacher in charge. 

We may well pause a moment and admire the Christian heroism 
connected with the introduction of Protestant Christianity into this 
peninsula. We say Protestant Christianity because, although we do 
not recognize the Romish Church as a true Christian Church, yet 
she has some semblance to Christianity, and claims to be the 
Christian Church. Taunts, sneers, cold neglect and petty perse- 
cutions had to be encountered, as well as the toil, labor and 
dangers of travel, in these distant parts. Amidst all these the 
young itinerants persevered, with no worldly emoluments promised 



1 8 HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

them. They were allowed to receive 07ie hundred dollars pet 
annum, provided the people would give it to them, with the 
privilege of "boarding 'round." This part of the country, at this 
time, was so completely isolated from the rest of the world, except 
a few scattering settlements along the Canada shore, that it was 
a vast undertaking to reach it. We will here give the state of 
the case as Nathan Bangs found it when he was appointed to the 
River Thames Circuit, which included Detroit. This was in 1804, 
as we have before stated. There was not much improvement for 
many years after, as the reader will learn when he comes to hear 
Joseph Hickox speak of the same matter in 181 5. 

Mr. Bangs left the City of New York on horseback, in the latter 
part of the month of June, " went into Canada by the way of Kings- 
ton, thence up the country along the northwestern shore of Lake 
Ontario to the Long Point Circuit, and thence on through Oxford to 
the town of Delaware, on the River Thames. Here he lodged for 
the night in the last log hut in the settlement. The next morning, 
just as the day began to dawn, he arose and took his departure, and 
after traveling through a wilderness of forty-five miles, guided only 
by marked trees, he arrived at a solitary log house about sunset, 
weary, hungry and thirsty. Here he was entertained with the best 
the house could afford, which consisted of some Indian pudding and 
milk for his supper and a bundle of straw lor his bed. The next 
day, about 12 o'clock, he arrived at an Indian village on the north 
bank of the River Thames, the inhabitants of which were under the 
instruction of two Moravian missionaries. 

" About 3 o'clock p. m. of the same day he arrived at the first 
house of the settlememt, when the following conversation took place 
between the missionary and a man he saw in the yard before the 
door of the house. After the introductory salutation the misionary 
inquired : 

" 'Do you want the Gospel preached here?' After some delibera- 
tion it was answered, ' Yes, that we do. Do you preach the Gospel?* 
' That is my occupation.' ' Alight, then, from your horse and come 
in, will you ?' ' I have come a great distance to preach the Gospel to 
the people here ; and it is Saturday afternoon, to-morrow is the Sab- 
bath, and I must have a house to preach in before I get off my horse.' 
After a few moments consideration, he replied : ' I have a house for 
you to preach in, provender for your horse, and food and lodging 
for yourself, and you shall be welcome to them if you will dismount 
and come in.' Thanking him for his kind offer, the missionary dis- 
mounted and entered the hospitable mansion in the name of the 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 1 9 

Lord, saying, ' Peace be to this Jwuse! A young man mounted his 
horse and rode ten miles down the river, inviting the people to at- 
tend meeting in that house the next day at 10 o'clock a. m." 

Here he commenced his labors on this Circuit. He then sent 
appointments down the river, along through the settlements, which 
he filled ; and was everywhere cordially received by the people. 
41 He proceeded down the shore of the lake, crossed over to Detroit, 
and preached in the Council House ; thence to Fort Maiden, and 
down the shore of Lake Erie, into a settlement made up of Ameri- 
can, English, Scotch, Irish and Dutch immigrants. The people every- 
where flocked to hear the word." Of the condition of the people 
he thus speaks: "A more destitute place I had never found. Young 
people had arrived at the age of sixteen who had never heard a Gos- 
pel sermon, and he found a Methodist family who had lived in that 
country for seven years without hearing a sermon preached. But 
although the people generally were extremely ignorant of spiritual 
things, and very loose in their morals, they seemed ripe for the Gos- 
pel, and hence received and treated God's messenger with great 
attention and kindness. He continued among them about three 
months, when he left them for the Niagara Circuit, intending to re- 
turn again soon, but was prevented. He was succeeded the next 
year by William Case, who was instrumental of great good to the 
souls of the people. Societies and regular circuits were formed, 
which have continued to flourish and increase to the present time." 

The foregoing quotations are made from the " History of the 
Methodist Episcopal Church," by Dr. Bangs. He writes of scenes 
in which he participated. In regard to his successor he made a 
mistake in the date. He says he (that is himself) "was succeeded 
the next year by William Case." This is an error as to the time, 
and not as to the man. It was from some time in July, probably the 
last of the month, till some time in October or November, 1804, that 
Mr. Bangs was here. According to the General Minutes for 1805, 
William Case was appointed, as junior preacher, with Henry Ryan, 
on the Bay Ouinte Circuit, and the Thames Circuit was left off the 
Minutes entirely, and no appointment was made that could include 
this region until 1809, when William Case was appointed to Detroit. 
So William Case was his successor, but not till five years had passed, 
during which time the people had been left without the preaching of 
the Gospel. Dr. Bangs doubtless wrote from memory, without refer- 
ring to the Minutes, and so missed the date. The fact is stated cor- 
rectly, but not the time, as shown by the official Minutes, confirmed 
by the testimony of Robert Abbott, Wm. McCarty, and others. 



20 HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

In his history, Dr. Bangs furnishes the following account of 
things in Detroit during the time of his stay on the Circuit : " Detroit, 
at that time, seemed to be a most abandoned place. On his second 
visit the missionary was introduced to a Congregational minister* 
who told him that he had preached in Detroit until none but a few 
children would come to hear; 'and,' said he, 'if you can succeed, 
which I very much doubt, I shall rejoice.' On the third visit, which 
was on the Sabbath, sure enough, only a few children came to the 
place of worship, and no one appearing to take any interest in hear- 
ing the Gospel preached there, our missionary shook the dust off his 
feet as a testimony against them, and took his departure from them." 
From the foregoing; statements of the difficulties of travel and the 
condition of the people, it will be readily seen that it required some 
courage and perseverance to fulfill the duties of a preacher here. 

When William Case came, five years later than Mr. Bangs, he 
found no special improvement in the people, in the country, in the 
accommodations, or in the facilities for traveling. At the time he 
came to Detroit, which was in the month of July or August, 1809; for, 
although the appointment was made in the latter part of May, for some 
reason he did not reach Detroit until some time after — there were 
no Methodists here, or any Protestant professors of religion, so far as 
known. He had to shift for himself as best he could. As a single 
man, he was only allowed to receive one hundred dollars a year, and 
no provision for board. He could not afford to hire his board out of 
this sum. Besides, it was altogether uncertain whether he would 
receive even that small sum. However, the Lord soon raised him 
up a friend in the person of Robert Abbott, Esq., who, although not a 
professor of religion or a Christian, kindly invited him to the hospital- 
ities of his house. But here he met with an unexpected difficulty ; 
that was, Mrs. Abbott was very strongly prejudiced against the 
Methodists, of whom she had heard something- unfavorable from her 
mother. This prejudice was so strong, that she took occasion to 
annoy Mr. Case as much as she dared to. At this time Mr. Abbott 
was Auditor General of the Territory, and much of his time at his 
office. On one occasion, he called at Mr. Abbott's office in the city 
and found him very busy, so that he could not go with him to his 
house at that time, but he directed Mr. Case to go down and said he 
would follow as soon as he could. Mr. Abbott then resided about a 
mile out of the city, down the river. The weather was now cold, and 
Mr. Case had been very much chilled and fatigued with his travel- 
ing;. Mrs. Abbott saw him coming and determined he should find 
no entertainment there. Though she knew who he was and that 

*Rev. David Bacon, before mentioned. 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 2 I 

he must be both cold and hungry, she refused him admittance to the 
house ; she kept him standing in the cold until he became satisfied 
that he would not be admitted, when he turned away and sought 
for entertainment at a hotel. When Mr. Abbott came home he 
inquired for the minister, but she said he had not been there — she 
had not seen him. Mr. Abbott immediately searched him out, and 
finally brought him back to his house. Mrs. Abbott had contracted 
this prejudice mostly from her mother, and partly from the fact that 
her father was a Roman Catholic. Her mother had told her that 
the object of these Methodist preachers was to separate husbands 
from their wives — to break up families, and the like. This prejudice 
was afterwards strengthened by the fact that when Mr. Case was 
there, they had spent much time in private conversation. Mr. 
Abbott was seeking for religious light and instruction. On one of 
these occasions she determined to ascertain what they were about, 
so she came silently to the door, and placing her eye and ear 
alternately to the key-hole, she was much astonished to find them 
engaged in prayer together. She studiously avoided his society, and 
neglected to minister to his comfort when there, leaving him to 
occupy a cold room alone, and not furnishing him with needful food 
if her husband was not present. These facts were obtained from 
her own lips by the writer, with the expectation that they would be 
given in this history. 

Some time early in the month of June, 1810, a Camp-Meeting 
was held on the River Thames, in Canada, which Mr. Abbott was in 
duced to attend. He had not been converted as yet, but was deeply 
anxious for his salvation. He took his family with him and had his 
own tent. We once asked Mrs. Abbott how she happened to go to 
the Camp-Meeting while she had such a bitter prejudice against the 
Methodists. She replied, "I was obliged to go ; Mr. Abbott govern- 
ed his own house." As to the general results of the meeting we 
have taken no pains to inquire, as we were interested only in one 
particular, that is, the effect it had on the work in Michigan. As the 
meeting progressd in its services, Mr. Abbott became more and 
more anxious about himself — using the means to secure what he 
desired, " Peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." In his 
case, as well as in many others, all his notions and plans for obtaining 
this manifestation of grace were set aside, and the Lord led him by a 
way that he knew not, and that he had not conceived of before. Yet 
it was the very way taught in the Bible — the way of simple faith in 
Jesus Christ as a present Saviour One night, after he had retired to 
bed and the encampment had become still and all was quiet, as he 



22 HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

lay meditating and looking to Jesus, he was enabled to put his whole 
trust in Him ; in a moment the darkness passed from his mind, and 
the true light shone into his heart. He bounded from his bed and 
ran out in his night clothes, as he was, shouting " Hallelujah to the 
Lamb." So overwhelming was the sense of Divine love to him, that 
he neither knew nor cared for anything else than to praise God for it. 
There was joy in the encampment that night, as well as among the 
angels of God, over a sinner saved by grace through faith. This was 
the first Camp-Meeting held in this region, and Mr. Abbott was the 
first inhabitant of Michigan who was converted. This was the first 
fruit of the seed sown by Mr. Case in this unpromising field, though 
it did not appear until after he had left. Mr. Abbott holds so impor- 
tant a relation to the Protestant cause in Michigan, that it will be 
interesting to have a somewhat extended sketch of his life and char- 
acter, which will be found in the next chapter. Mr. Case's labors had 
been very successful on the Canada side and along the Thames, so 
that he reported seventy-eight members for Detroit Circuit, but they 
were all in Canada. He left for Conference in May, and visited his 
parents before the session. 

The Genesee Conference had been created by the authority of 
the General Conference, embracing this country, and held its first 
session in Lyons, New York, commencing on the 20th of July, 18 10. 
At this Conference Mr. Case was appointed Presiding Elder of Cay- 
uga District, which separated him from Michigan for the present, but 
he returns to it again in the capacity of Presiding Elder. 

Mr. Case was succeeded on the Circuit by Rev. Ninian Holmes 
in July, 1 8 10 — that is, at the session of the Genesee Conference, com- 
mencing July 20th, Mr. Holmes was appointed. Precisely at what 
time he arrived at Detroit we have no means of ascertaining ; prob- 
ably however, it was from six to eight weeks after the session. When 
he did arrive he found Rev. William Mitchell, from the Western Con- 
ference, who had been appointed also. Mr. Holmes labored princi- 
pally in Canada, and Mr. Mitchell on this side, and they returned one 
hundred and thirty-four members for the Circuit, mostly in Canada. 
The Society in Detroit and on the Rouge had grown to about 
thirty members. 

At the next session of the Genesee Conference, which com- 
menced on the 20th of July, 181 1, Mr. Holmes was returned to De- 
troit Circuit, with a young man named Silas Hopkins for a colleague. 
He continued his Circuit as far as Monroe on the south, where Mr. 
Mitchell had organized a Society of over twenty members. At the 
next Conference, in 181 2, the Minutes show one hundred and thirty- 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 23 

four members. About fifty of them were in Michigan. The returns 
this year do not afford an accurate statement of the membership, as 
Mr. Holmes did not attend the Conference, and the report of last 
year was adopted for this year. Probably there was no material 
change in the numbers. The Conference was to meet, or did meet 
at Niagara, Canada, on the 23d day of July of this year — 181 2 — and 
George W. Densmore was appointed to Detroit, but never came ; 
the reason being that hostilities between the United States and 
Great Britian had commenced, war having been declared by the 
United States on the 18th of June. With the Conference of July 
23d, 181 2, closes the period of peace and begins a time of darkness 
and desolation ; and here we must pause in the line of our narrative 
for a time, to be resumed after the storm has passed. Henry Ryan 
has been the Presiding Elder for the last two years. 

We will now take a hasty retrospect of this first period of the 
history of Protestantism in this peninsula, before closing this chap- 
ter. The first conversion to experimental Christianity occurred in 
June, 1 8 10, and the first Methodist Church was organized at Detroit, 
in the late autumn of the same year, which was the first Protestant 
Church organized in Michigan. After the organization, this Society 
steadily increased in numbers and moral strength until the summer 
of 181 2, at which time they numbered about thirty in Detroit and on 
the Rouge. The last two years had been years of religious pros- 
perity, and gave promise of large and glorious triumphs to the cause 
of vital Christianity. But alas! a dark cloud is gathering thick 
around, which is to lay waste these bright prospects and darken 
these fair hopes. The ravages of war are to lay waste the heritage 
of the Lord, and brethren in Christ are to be arranged in hostile 
ranks against each other. The brethren on each side of the river, 
which divides the two countries, had pledged themselves to each 
other not to take up arms in the war which was threatening. But 
they knew not what they would be called upon to do. When once 
they were required to enter the ranks they could not choose to spare 
their brethren, when brought into conflict. The effect on the Soci- 
eties was just such as might have been expected. They were scat- 
tered, being deprived of pastors for three years. Yet there were a 
few who kept the faith — kept up their organization, and were found 
to constitute a Christian Church when the storm of war had passed 
away. To these we shall have occasion to refer in our next chapter. 

The following is the list of ministers who were appointed to 
serve here prior and up to the time of the war, viz : 



24 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN, 



1804. — Nathan Bangs, to the Thames Circuit, called River Le 
French, which included Detroit. 

1809. — Upper Canada District, Joseph Sawyer, Presiding Elder. 
Detroit Mission, William Case. 

1 8 10. — Upper Canada District, Henry Ryan, Presiding Elder. 
Detroit — William Mitchell, from the Western Conference ; Ninian 
Holmes, from the Genesee Conference. 

Henry Ryan was continued on the District until the war inter- 
rupted the appointments. 

181 1. — Detroit, Ninian Holmes, Silas Hopkins. 

181 2. — Detroit, George W. Densmore. 

The last of these rendered no service, as the war commenced 
before he could reach his appointment, and he never came on to it. 




DESOLATION- 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN, 



25 




CHAPTER II. 

Biographical Sketches — D. Freeman — Nathan Bangs — William Case — Ninian Holmes — Silas 
Hopkins — Henry Byan — William Mitchell — Kobert Abbott — William McCarty — Betsey 
Abbott — Maria C. McCarty — William Stacy — Betsey Stacy — Sarah Macomb — Amy 
Witherell. 

^O little is known of Rev. Mr. Freeman, the first Methodist 
preacher that ever visited Detroit, that not much can be said 
of him. Mrs. McCarty, who was then quite a young lady, and 
was very much impressed by his preaching, said he was a 
very venerable-looking man, that he was a local preacher, 
and that he appeared to be deeply pious. His preaching was 
characterized by much earnest sympathy. What brought 
him to Detroit they knew not, and where his home was they 
could not tell. We have ascertained that his name was Daniel Free- 
man, and that his home was in Canada. Of all the other early char- 
acters we have fuller information, and it will, doubtless, be very inter- 
esting to trace their career to some extent in connection with, and 
as forming a part of this history. We here introduce them. 

Nathan Bangs, D. D. What can be more sublime and grand 
than to see a man devoting the vigor and sprightliness of early man- 
hood to elevate and ennoble humanity ! What more God-like than 
for such an one to forsake father, mother, home and friends, and 
to renounce all prospects of worldly gain, honor or preferment, and 
to consecrate his talents, energies and life to the work of preach- 
ing the Everlasting Gospel to lost sinners ; to brave dangers, en- 
counter perils, endure hardships, suffer hunger, experience fatigue and 
weariness, in order to carry peace to the wretched, hope to the 
disconsolate, and light to those who sit in darkness. It is above all 
else — it is heavenly. All this is what Nathan Bangs did. He had 
as fair a prospect for this world as young men of his day had, of 
honor and gain. He had talents, energy and industry, to succeed in 
anything he might undertake, as well as others. But all these he 



26 HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

laid on the altar of sacrifice to God, and laid himself at the feet of 
the blessed Saviour, to be used as would best promote His glory and 
the salvation of men lost in sin. At the time he made the devotion 
he could not have had the remotest conception of the honor which 
came to him in after years ; for the denomination — the Methodist — 
to which he attached himself, was small, poor, and generally despised 
by the worldly-wise. He could have seen before him nothing but 
hard labor, great suffering and anxiety, so far as this world was con- 
cerned, only as he relied on the Divine promise, "In Me ye shall have 
peace." After his conversion, which occurred in 1800, in Upper 
Canada, and which was sound and clear, he soon entered the work 
of the itinerant ministry in the Methodist Episcopal Church. He 
united with the Church on trial before he had any satisfactory assu- 
rance of adoption into the Divine family, a very proper act for any one. 
He gives the following very interesting account of the exercises of 
his mind at this period : " Having thus united myself with the chil- 
dren of God, it was now my principal concern to make sure work 
of my salvation. Though I had frequent manifestations of the grace 
of God, and could occasionally rejoice in Him, I had not yet attained 
to a clear witness of my acceptance with Him. The subject of reli- 
gion engrossed my attention, and I sought every opportunity to con- 
verse with devout people on my state and prospects. Some said 
they believed me to be already justified, while others exhorted me to 
be thankful for what I had received, and to persevere until I should 
find a satisfactory evidence of my acceptance with God. My prayer 
was for some miraculous, some physical manifestation of Divine 
grace. It pleased the Lord to disappoint me in this respect, as in so 
many others. After struggling hard, praying much, reading the Holy 
Scriptures, fasting, and conversing with religious friends for some 
days, He showed to my mind a scene such as I had never fully seen 
before. All my past sins seemed pictured upon my memory ; the 
righteous law of God, so often broken by me, shone in overwhelming 
splendor before me. I saw and acknowledged the justice of my con- 
demnation. Christ was then exhibited to my mind as having ' fulfill- 
ed the law and made it honorable,' ' bearing my sins in His own body 
on the tree,' so that I, receiving Him by faith, need not bear them 
any longer myself. This view humbled me in the dust. At the 
same time, I felt a gracious power to rely upon his atoning merits by 
simple faith. Instantly I felt my sins were cancelled for Christ's 
sake, and the Spirit of God bore witness with mine that I was adopt- 
ed into the family of His people. My mind was filled with awe and 
reverence. The wisdom, power and goodness of God in devising 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN, 27 

such a scheme for the recovery of fallen man, struck me with 
astonishment. And with ecstasy of holy joy did I lay hold upon 
the cross of the Lord Jesus as my Saviour. All boasting was 
excluded, except the matchless love of God, who sent His Son to die 
for the world, ' that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, 
but have everlasting life.' This view of the plan of redemption 
and salvation was as clear to me then as it has been at any time 
since, though not by any means so comprehensively defined as in 
later experience and studies. It has since been enlarged, and made 
to appear more exact, symmetrical and beautiful in all its parts. 
Here let me record my grateful, adoring sense of the lovingkind- 
ness of my God in watching so providentially over my infant 
days, in leading me through the intricacies of youth up to manhood, 
bearing with my sinfulness, conducting me to a strange land, where 
He directed my steps among His people, opening the path of life 
and peace to my troubled soul, receiving me at last, by adoption, 
into the household of His saints. It was now August, 1800, in the 
twenty-second year of my age, I having been twenty-one on the 
2nd of May preceding."* 

Having now fully identified himself with the people of God, he 
moved forward in his work without faltering, for more than three 
score years, — abundant in labors and crowned with glorious success. 
He united with the New York Annual Conference on trial, in 1802, 
and passed through the various grades of the ministry. His first 
appointment was on Bay Quinte Circuit, in Canada West, as the 
third preacher, with Joseph Sawyer and Peter Vannest. These were 
noble associates for a young man. Next year he was returned to 
the same Circuit, as the second preacher. The following year, 1804, 
he was appointed alone to the River le French Circuit, which brought 
him to Detroit. The name of the Circuit was thus called through 
mistake. It should have been the River Thames Circuit. It is this 
appointment which brings him into the range of our history. He 
continued on this Circuit only about three or four months. He left 
his Circuit to make a visit to his friends in the bounds of the Niagara 
Circuit, with the expectation of returning soon, but did not, for some 
reason not now ascertainable, as he has left us no information on the 
subject. But if he had returned to the Circuit it would have made 
no difference with Detroit, as he had left it for good, having "shaken 
the dust off his feet for a testimony against them," because they 
were so given up to folly and wickedness that they would not come 
to hear him preach the word of life. The circumstances were cer- 

*Life and Times of Nathan Bangs, D. D. — Stevens' — pp. 47, 48, 49. 



2 8 HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

tainly very discouraging, and perhaps any one would have done the 
same thing in the same circumstances, that is, to leave them. But 
the probability is, if he could have devoted some time to the place, 
and called among the people, they would not have forgotten the 
meeting and some good might have been accomplished. In those 
days of vast circuits, but very little time could be given to any one 
place for calls on the people at their homes. What could we expect 
to accomplish now, to come around and preach one sermon only 
once in three or four weeks? Certainly, nothing. The people of 
Detroit, then, had no appreciation of the value of the Gospel to 
them. They knew but very little about it and cared less, and consi- 
dered the preaching only an interference with their pleasures. There 
are vast multitudes in the same city now, as in all large cities, who 
have the same opinion of the preaching of the Gospel, and it re- 
quires patient, continuous labor to gain their attention to the things 
of religion. 

Mr. Bangs was full of energy and characterized by an active 
zeal for the cause of God, and desired, very naturally, to see the 
fruit of his labor. How trying the situation ! Here he was, a lone 
laborer in a vast region of country, with few or no Christian hearts 
to sympathize with him. He had no place of entertainment in the 
city, except at the hotel, and that was poor enough. Who could blame 
him for leaving the people to themselves, or for devoting his labors to 
a more promising field? Surely, none. There were no members re- 
turned for the Circuit at the next Conference, from which we infer 
there were no societies formed in it and he was sent to it simply 
with the hope of making a Circuit and organizing societies. We 
suppose the reason he did not return to it, after his visit to his 
friends, to be that his Presiding Elder thought he could be better 
employed elsewhere. The importance of Detroit was not then 
realized. This Circuit, by that name, never again appears in the list 
of appointments. That Mr. Bangs had talents and perseverance 
enough to have succeeded, if any one could, is evident from his sub- 
sequent successes. We have but a few more words in regard to 
this Circuit. 

Dr. Stevens says : "We have witnessed the severity of his trials 
in these new countries. He had endured them 'as a good soldier of 
the Lord Jesus;' and he would have appeared justified had he, in 
retracing his steps to his paternal home and to the Conference in 
New York City, asked for an appointment nearer his kindred and in 
a more genial climate, especially as he went to the session almost 
wrecked in health. But he went thither for the express purpose of 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 29 

soliciting permission to throw himself into a still more westward and 
more desolate region, a region noted, at that time, for pestilential 
disease and religious destitution — the recent settlements on the 
River Thames, a stream which enters the St. Clair, opposite Detroit, 
beyond the northwestern shore of Lake Erie."* This was noble in 
him, to desire to enter this perilous but destitute field. In this quo- 
tation there is a geographical mistake, which it may be well to correct 
— M The River Thames, a stream which enters the St. Clair, opposite 
Detroit!' The Thames " enters the St. Clair," not "opposite Detroit," 
but about thirty miles a little north of east from Detroit. Detroit 
is situated on the north bank of Detroit River, several miles below 
Lake St. Clair. The field of labor, however, is the same and he 
desired to cultivate it, and with what success we have already seen. 
It is much to be regetted that there should have seemed to be any 
necessity for abandoning Detroit at that time. 

In due course of time Mr. Bangs rose to the highest position a 
man can occupy in the Methodist Episcopal Church, unless it be the 
Episcopacy. He was editor of the church organ, The Christian 
Advocate, for a long time, and wielded a controlling influence in the 
councils of the Church for many years. He originated the Mission- 
ary Society, an organization now doing a vast amount of good and 
extending its benign influences into all parts of the globe ; and when 
the office of Missionary Secretary was created, the General Confer- 
ence instinctively turned to him as the man for the place- — a place 
which he successfully filled for many years. He was the founder of 
American Methodist periodical literature, and in due time was deserv- 
edly titled " Doctor of Divinity!' Dr. Bangs is so widely and favor- 
ably known in his writings, both controversial and historical, that it is 
not necessary to say much more concerning him here. The reader 
is also referred to the " Life and Times of Nathan Bangs, D. D.," 
by Dr. Stevens, a work of great merit, from which we have already 
quoted. 

In the latter part of his life, Dr. Bangs was a very earnest ad- 
vocate of Christian holiness as a distinct experience, and maintained 
the blessing of perfect love in his own heart and experience for many 
years. He devoted a long life actively to the cause of Christ, and 
was finally gathered to his fathers in peace, like a shock of corn fully 
ripe. There is something so noble, so God-like, in such a life, so de- 
voted to the interests of humanity, that we should expect its termi- 
nation to be like the sun setting in a sea of glory. Such was the de- 
mise of this great and good man, for he was good in greatness and 

*Life and Times of Nathan Bangs, D. D ., p. 131. 



30 HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

great in goodness. That he had his trials and discouragements, is 
undoubtedly true, for these are common to all men, but he realized 
the truth of the promise of Divine help, " My grace is sufficient for 
thee." His entire hope was in the atonement of the Lord and Saviour 
Jesus Christ. He was a noble specimen of a Christian gentleman — 
of a sanctified human nature. He died in the City of New York, 
'•on the 3d day of May, 1862, one day after his eighty-fourth birth- 
day," having been in the ministry of the Methodist Episcopal Church 
for sixty years. 

We shall now take leave of Dr. Bangs in the language of Dr. 
Stevens : " Singularly effective, definitive and symmetrical in his life — 
in the struggles and self-dicipline of his youth, the activity and suc- 
cess of his manhood, the sanctity and peace of his old age, we take 
our leave of him at the grave, assured that it has been good for the 
world that he lived, and for us that we have traced the lessons of his 
life." 

Rev. William Case. Five years have passed since Mr. Bangs 
left Detroit, before a successor has appeared. How many of " the 
light-hearted people," and wicked inhabitants, have floated down the 
stream of time to eternal despair ! But the spell which has bound 
the people is to be broken, in a measure. Who will do it? Who 
will be sent to this dark and dreary region, and who will consent to 
come to it? Well may we ask these questions, for at the time of 
which we write, it was more of a task to reach Detroit from the seat 
of an Annual Conference, than it is now to go to India or China, 
and a minister was more separated from his brethren than now in 
the distant missionary fields. The fatigues and difficulties of travel 
were certainly as great. Yet there are here perishing sinners to be 
looked after, and to be saved if possible. Ministers must not, and 
will not count their lives dear unto themselves, so that they may 
but win Christ Jesus, and secure the salvation of souls — souls 
bought by the precious blood of Christ. 

At the session of the New York Conference, held in the City of 
New York, commencing May 10th, 1809, it was determined to send 
a missionary to Detroit. He is so designated in the Minutes, 
although there was no Missionary Society to aid in his support. In 
accordance with this determination, Rev. William Case, who had 
been four years in the ministry, having joined the Conference in 
1805, was appointed to Detroit. This chapter, and indeed our whole 
History, would be very defective did we not furnish a somewhat de- 
tailed biography of this early and active missionary, for, although he 
was not the first who attempted to plant the standard of the Gospel 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 3 1 

and Protestantism on Michigan soil, he was the first who made any 
persevering effort for that purpose, and continued in it until fruit ap- 
peared, and with his name Detroit first appears on the records of 
the Church — in the Minutes of the Conference, as an appointment. 
Mr. Case, by giving time and devoting attention, succeeded in lead- 
ing one man to embrace the cause of Christ. Others had received 
the spirit of conviction, which subsequently resulted in sound conver- 
sion, but of this fact he was not advised at the time. So he labored 
in hope. If no other good had resulted from the labors of this year, 
than the conversion of Robert Abbott, it would have been abundant 
compensation for the labor put forth and the toil endured ; for Mr. 
Abbott became a nucleus around which a Church soon clustered, so 
that the work assumed form and permanency. 

William Case was born in the town of Swansea, Massachusetts, 
August 27th, 1780 ; so he was twenty-nine years old when he came 
to Detroit. He made profession of religion and joined the Church — 
the Methodist Episcopal Church — in 1803, when he was twenty-three 
years of age. He was admitted on trial in the New York Confer- 
ence in 1805, at its session held in Ashgrove, begining June 12th. 
Having volunteered for the work in Canada, he was appointed to the 
Bay Ouinte Circuit, in the Upper Canada District, as junior preacher. 
The next year he was appointed to the Oswegotchie Circuit, in the 
same District. The first year Henry Ryan, and the second Gershom 
Pearse was in charge, and Joseph Sawyer was the Presiding Elder. 
The next year, 1807, he was appointed to Ulster Circuit, in Albany 
District, as junior preacher, under Elias Vanderlip, with Henry Stead 
as Presiding Elder. According to the Minutes of the New York 
Conference, Mr. Case was ordained an Elder at its session held at 
Amenia, beginning April 6th, 1808. At this Conference he was ap- 
pointed in charge of Ancaster Circuit, in Upper Canada District, alone, 
Joseph Sawyer still being Presiding Elder. We now find him in- 
trusted with the responsibility of being in charge of a Circuit, and 
never after do we find him in any inferior position. In these appoint- 
ments is shown the changes to which men were subjected, and to which 
they were called to submit in those early days. At the session of 
the New York Conference, held in the City of New York, beginning 
May 10th, 1809, he was appointed to Detroit as a missionary, but his 
labors were not by any means to be confined to that place, for he ex- 
tended his work up the Thames, and down the lake shore in Canada. 
Look at the undertaking! A missionary sent, having to travel from 
New York City to Detroit on horseback, to form a Circuit, gather 
up members wherever he might find them, and then depend on them 



32 HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

for a support; for, though he was appointed and called a missionary,, 
there was no Society — no funds to fall back on for his support, as 
our Missionary Society had not then been organized. With all this 
labor and these dark prospects before him, he went into the work in 
the name of his Divine Master. 

In regard to his having gone to Canada, Mr. Case, in his semi- 
centennial sermon, makes the following remarks ; " I have much rea- 
son to believe that my appointment to this country was in the order 
of providence, and divinely directed. A field thus distant was the 
more suitable to wean one from a numerous circle of friends, and a 
new country was best adapted to my youth and inexperience. I have 
every cause to be satisfied with my choice, and abundant reason ta 
be grateful to my Christian brethren, and to the inhabitants of Canada 
generally, for their generous and kind treatment, and the marked 
hospitality which has everywhere been shown me in every parr of 
the Province. In connection with this subject, I beg to relate an in- 
cident which occurred in my journey to this country. It was while 
traveling through the forest of Black River. As I was drawing near 
to the field of my future labor, I felt more and more deeply impress- 
ed with the importance of my mission, and my insufficiency for 
preaching to a people already well instructed. As yet but a boy — * 
only about two years since my conversion — devoid of ministerial 
talent as I was of beard — I feared, on account of my incompetency, 
that I should not be received in a strange land. So strong were the 
emotions of my heart that I dismounted from my horse and sat 
down, and wept and prayed. While thus weeping, these words were 
spoken to me in a voice that I could not misunderstand: 'I will go 
before thee, — will prepare the hearts of the people to receive thee ; 
and thou shalt have fathers, and mothers, and children in that land/ 
This promise I have seen fulfilled to the letter, and hereby give glory 
to God for this and a hundred promises more, which have by his 
blessed word and his Holy Spirit been impressed on my heart." 

We must furnish one more incident. It will be remembered 
that Canada was embraced in the New York Conference until 1810; 
so he had to come over into the States to attend the sessions. In 
1808 he had attended the session, and on his return found difficulty 
in getting back. But hear his own words: "In 1808, on my arrival 
at Black Rock, the embargo prohibited the transportation of property 
across the river. At first I was perplexed, and knew not what to do. 
So I went to the hay loft, and fell on my face in prayer. I asked the 
Lord, as I was engaged in His work, to open my way to fulfill my 
mission in Canada. Having committed all to God, I returned to my 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 33 

lodgings at the inn, when a stranger smilingly said : ' I should not 
wonder if the missionary should jump into the boat, take his horse 
by the bridle, and swim around the embargo! I did so, swam across 
the Niagara River, and landed safely in Canada." 

It is now time to return to his relation to the work in Michigan, 
He is to be regarded as the founder, under God, of Protestantism in 
Michigan, although he did not organize the Church, for he cleared the 
way for those who entered into his labors. In the midst of many 
discouragements he persevered, trusting in God. His way was not 
always smooth. Although he found a friend in Robert Abbott, Esq., 
who did all he could to make him feel at home and to render him 
comfortable, it was otherwise with Mrs. Abbott. Her mother, who had 
been educated an Irish Presbyterian, had become a Roman Catholic, 
and for some reason had acquired a most bitter enmity toward the 
Methodists, having resided in Philadelphia for a time and heard some- 
thing of them. Mrs. Abbott's father was a French Catholic, and in- 
herited all the Roman Catholic virulence against all Protestants. 
With this education the idea of having a Methodist preacher in the 
house was most abhorent to her. She, therefore, sought every op- 
portunity and resorted to all the means she dared to make his stay 
there as uncomfortable as possible. 

Mr. Case was a plain, earnest and faithful preacher, and did not 
spare the follies and wickedness of the people. This, of course, was 
not always palatable to those who were described. On one occasion 
some of the baser sort about the town, wishing to vent their spleen — 
to show their contempt for religion and the minister — and being too 
cowardly to do it openly, stole into the stable at night and trimmed 
the hair from the tail and mane of his unoffending horse. In the 
morning Mr. Case found his horse in that sad plight ; but nothing 
daunted, he mounted his Pegassus and rode through the principal 
streets of the town, making full show of what had been done. S^me 
of the principal citizens were much chagrined at this circumstance 
and offered him a high price for the animal, but he refused to sell 
him at any price and rode him away. In this way he defeated the 
purpose they had in view, and turned the shame on themselves. 

By permission of the General Conference of 1808, as they un- 
derstood it, the bishops organized the Genesee Conference, em- 
bracing the Susquehannah, Cayuga, Upper and Lower Canada dis- 
tricts, in 1 8 10, and the first session thereof was held at the village of 
Lyons, New York, in a corn-house belonging to Judge Dorsey. This 
session commenced July 20th, 1810. It may be that from the place — 
a corn house — in which the Conference sessions were held this year, 



34 HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

originated the remark of an enemy of Methodism, that " a com crib 
would now hold all the Methodists, and in a short time a corn basket 
will hold them." Mr. Case, from his appointment at Detroit, became 
a member of this Conference and continued so until the Canada 
Conference was created, the first session of which was held at Hal- 
lowell, in Upper Canada, beginning August 25th, 1824. At this first 
session of the Genesee Conference, Mr. Case was appointed to the 
Cayuga District, as Presiding Elder, on which he remained four years. 
Upon the expiration of this period, at the session of the Genesee 
Conference held in Genoa, Cayuga County, New York, he was ap- 
pointed in charge of Chenango District, on which he remained only 
one year, and was, at the session of the Conference commencing 
June 29th, 18 1 5, appointed Presiding Elder of Upper Canada Dis- 
trict, which brought him once more to Detroit, as this was included 
in his district. He remained on this district one year only, and was 
transferred to the Lower Canada District. Why these frequent 
changes from district to district occurred, we have no means of 
determining. One thing, however, is certain, that is, it was not for 
want of ability to sustain himself for a longer period. Very probably 
it arose from the fact that the districts were so difficult to travel and 
so laborious, that it was thought advisable to afford relief by change. 
Mr. Case remained in the Lower Canada District for four years, 
viz: from July, 181 6, to July 20th, 1820. From the time of his ap- 
pointment to the Upper Canada District, in 181 5, he became fully and 
entirely identified with the interests of Methodism in Canada — that 
became his home. In July, 1820, he was re-appointed to the Upper 
Canada District, in charge of which he remained four years, but was 
not officially connected with Michigan Methodism, as Michigan, (that 
is, Detroit,) was transferred to the Ohio Conference, by act of the 
General Conference, in 1820. Mr. Case, however, was at the first 
Camp-Meeting held in Michigan, on the River Rouge. It was held 
by Rev. John P. Kent, in 1822. His labors at this Camp-Meeting 
were highly appreciated and were very useful. At the expiration of 
his term of four years on the Upper Canada District, he was ap- 
pointed to the Bay Quinte District, and from thence forward he be- 
came identified with the Indian Missions of that region, although he 
supplied this district for four years — that is, from 1824 to 1828. By 
permission of the General Conference of 1828, the Canada Confer- 
ence erected itself into an independent Church, entitled the Meth- 
odist Episcopal Church in Canada. In this new body Mr. Case 
held a very conspicuous place and rendered very important services. 
His whole soul became wrapped up in the interests of the Indian 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 35 

Missions in Canada, of which he might be said to be the father. He 
was once elected Bishop of the Methodist Episcopal Church in 
Canada, before the union of a part of the body with the Wesleyans 
of Great Britain, — that is, while the Methodists of Canada were all 
one body, — but he declined to be ordained, and continued his labors 
among the Indians. In the good providence of God he was permit- 
ted to visit Detroit in 1853, and to attend the session of the Michi- 
gan Conference, which met in that city for the third time this year. 
He preached on the Sabbath, and reviewed the past with great in- 
terest and much pleasure, contrasting the past with the present. It 
was a great pleasure to the Conference to be favored with his pres- 
ence at this time. 

Mr. Case was a man of athletic frame, dignified and command- 
ing in his personal appearance, of indomitable perseverance, of a 
strong and vigorous mind, of close observation, of a kind and 
sweet spirit. He was a devoted Christian, and was a very earnest 
and successful laborer. God gave him many souls as seals to his 
ministry. He died in 1855, honored and respected by all who knew 
him. Indeed, so transparent and pure was his character, that to 
know him was to love him. We in Michigan love and honor him, and 
even venerate him, because he was honored of God as the instrument 
of laying the foundation of Methodism in our Peninsular State. But 
he has gone to his peaceful and glorious rest in heaven. 

Rev. Ninian Holmes was admitted on trial in the New York 
Conference in 1807, and was appointed as the third preacher, with 
Nathan Bangs and Thomas Whitehead, on Niagara Circuit. In 
1808 he was appointed in charge of Bay Quinte Circuit. In 1809 he 
was admitted into full connection in the Conference, and ordained 
both as Deacon and Elder, as a missionary. Why he was so desig- 
nated does not appear. He was appointed to Augusta Circuit. 
These appointments were all in Canada West, now Ontario ; or as it 
was then called, Upper Canada. In 18 10 he was appointed to 
Detroit, alone, but found Mitchell here from the Western Confer- 
ence, as before stated. The next year, 181 1, he was returned to 
Detroit, with Silas Hopkins as his colleague and junior. This has 
the appearance of a determination to prosecute the work here with 
vigor. Some success attended their labors. This is the last appoint- 
ment that Mr. Holmes ever supplied, for although at the Conference 
of 181 2 he was appointed to Niagara Circuit, in Canada, the break- 
ing out of the war prevented his going to it. He continued in 
Detroit until after the surrender of the place by General Hull, for 
on that day he was in the city and baptized a child for Wm. McCarty. 



36 HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

In consequence of the war, all communication with his Conference — 
the Genesee — was broken off; and when the smoke of battle and 
the clouds of war were cleared away, and peace was declared in 
181 5, and the scattered members were to be gathered up and re- 
organized, Mr. Holmes did not report himself at headquarters for 
duty in the itinerant field. His name disappears, in this way, from 
the records of the workmen. Though he had assisted " at the intro- 
duction ol strangers among the workmen," he himself now declined 
"to assist in the work of rebuilding the temple" of our God. He set- 
tled down on the Thames, engaged in business, and so has passed 
from our view. It is sad to think of a man capable of doing much 
good, as he was, settling down to mere secular employments while 
there was so much need of his help, " to restore and build the waste 
places of Zion." While on this Circuit, he and his colleague seemed 
disposed to take in all the places they could, for they continued to 
extend their labors to Monroe, and made that journey of forty miles 
and back to preach to a small congregation. They had some suc- 
cess there. A small Society had been organized the year before, all 
of whom were scattered by the war. We have not been able to ob- 
tain any information in regard to Mr. Holmes' religious experience 
or the finale of his existence. He is said to have been a very good' 
preacher and faithful to his work while here. 

Rev. Silas Hopkins. We can say but very little in regard to 
this young man. He was admitted on trial in the Genesee Confer- 
ence, at the session, July nth, 181 1, and appointed to Detroit, as 
above stated. The next year, 181 2, he was appointed to Augusta, 
in Canada, but as everything was in confusion, by the war, he could 
not attend to it, and so disappears. We have no further mention of 
him in the records of the Church. 

Joseph Sawyer appears on the Minutes for 1809, as the Pre- 
siding Elder, but as he does not appear to have visited Michigan at 
all, we make no further mention of him. 

Henry Ryan stands at the head of Upper Canada District 
for the years 1810, 1811 and 1812. He appears again in 1816, 
181 7, 1 81 8 and 1819, in the same office, making seven years in 
all that he was connected with Michigan Methodism, in this rela- 
tion. It is proper, therefore, to furnish some sketch of his life 
and character. Mr. Ryan was a very large man, of Herculean 
strength ; of a vigorous mind and a determined will. This last 
trait in his character finally led him astray, and induced him to 
abandon the Church in which he had labored very successfully for 
many years and to set up a small party for himself. His party, from 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 37 

a common disposition to designate a people by the name of the 
leading spirit among them, was called Ryanites. He had done much 
hard service, and had seen much rough fare. He was emphatically 
a pioneer. He could preach with great power and effect. The 
largeness of his frame was sometimes of service to him. The fol- 
lowing anecdote has been related of him : On one occasion he had 
preached with great plainness and effect, so much so that a certain 
son of Vulcan became very much exasperated and swore he would 
whip the first Methodist preacher who should pass his shop. He 
lived on the road Mr. Ryan had to pass to reach his next appoint- 
ment. Some one who had heard the threatening informed the preacher 
of it, and advised him to seek some other road, as the blacksmith 
was a very desperate and determined man and would be likely to 
execute his threat. Mr. Ryan thought it not advisable to be driven 
from his course by any such apprehension, so when the time came 
he started on his way. The blacksmith had seen him coming and 
was prepared for him. When the preacher came up to where he 
was by the side of the road, the fellow accosted him, asking him if he 
was not a Methodist preacher, to which inquiry the preacher respond- 
ed that his name was Ryan, and that he was a Methodist preacher. 
"Well, then, " said the fellow, "you must dismount, as I have sworn I 
would whip the first Methodist priest that comes this way." Mr. 
Ryan very coolly told him he thought he had taken a very foolish 
oath, and that he had better let him pass. This only increased the 
fury of the man, as he thought the preacher was afraid of him ; so 
he told him he could not pass without a flogging. On this Mr. Ryan 
alighted from his horse, saying, " If I must, then, I must." Mr. Ryan 
then deliberately laid aside his coat, rolled up his sleeves, exhibiting 
an arm something like a hand-spike and a fist resembling a sledge- 
hammer. Having made these preparations, he approached the black- 
smith with his arm uplifted, exclaiming, " The Lord have mercy on 
your poor soul, as I shall have none on your body." The poor fellow 
was not prepared for this kind of exhibition, and quailed before the 
preacher. But the preacher did not let him escape without a whole- 
some exhortation, and exacting from him a pledge never to insult 
another minister. There are several editions of this story, but' some- 
thing of the kind occurred and we give it as we received it. A large 
body was of good service at that time. He was the last Presiding 
Elder sent out from the Genesee Conference, whose district included 
Detroit. He has gone to his long account ; we trust in peace, for 
we think him sincere, though in error in his last years. We will 
honor him for the hard, beneficial service which he rendered in this 



3d HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

field, and draw the veil of chanty over the foibles and errors of his 
separation from the Church. 

Henry Ryan was admitted into the traveling connection in 1800,. 
and was appointed in charge of Vergennes Circuit, in the New York 
District, with Robert Dyer as his colleague and Freeborn Garretson 
as his Presiding Elder. This was before the connection was proper- 
ly divided into Annual Conferences, or rather so distinguished in the 
Minutes of the appointments, as is now the case. The bishops 
called certain districts together, as was convenient, and made the 
appointments for the year. The Conference met in New York 
City, June 19th, 1800. The next year it met in the same place, June 
1 6th, and Mr. Ryan was returned to Vergennes Circuit, alone, and 
the district was now called Pittsfield, with Shadrach Bostwick as the 
Presiding Elder. In 1802, June 1st, he was admitted into full con- 
nection and ordained Deacon, and was appointed in charge of 
Fletcher Circuit, with Elijah Hedding as his colleague. The District 
and Presiding Elder are the same. The conferences are distinguish- 
ed in the Minutes this year, for the first time, and Pittsfield District 
is included in the New York Conference. At the session of the 
New York Conference, held in New York, beginning June 12th, 
1804, he was ordained an Elder and appointed in charge of Platts- 
burg Circuit, of which he had charge the year before. It is not 
necessary to follow him through all his appointments. The next 
year he was appointed in charge of Bay Quinte Circuit, in the Upper 
Canada District, and from this time he becomes identified with 
Canada, and in 18 10 he was appointed to the Upper Canada Dis- 
trict as Presiding Elder, which brought him into the range of our 
History, as before related. In the Minutes of the Canada Confer- 
ence, for the year 1827, we find Henry Ryan's name returned as 
having withdrawn from the connection this year. This was a great 
mistake in him. We find this one peculiarity in his case — that is, he 
was appointed in charge of a Circuit his first year, and always after 
continued in charge of circuits or districts as long as he was effect- 
ive ; while such men as Bangs, Case and Hedding had to serve for 
a time as juniors. Mr. Ryan had been on the list of superannuates 
for the last two years preceding his severance of his connection with 
the Methodist Episcopal Church. 

Mr. Ryan had superior executive abilities, as was acknowl- 
edged in the appointments he received. It will be remembered that, 
for three years during the war, the Church in Canada being con- 
nected with the Genesee Conference, could not be supplied with 
ministers. During this time Mr. Ryan called the ministers in Canada 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 39 

together, and as a kind of self-constituted bishop, assigned them to 
their fields of labor. This, of course, was without any legal author- 
ity ; but such was their confidence in his executive ability that they 
acquiesced in it. He having an inexorable will, by the exercise of 
this power became, as was thought by many, a little too arbitrary; 
and when the fitting occasion appeared, they repudiated him. He 
was deserving of great praise for his skill and supervision over the 
work during the war, and that was freely accorded to him; but when 
they thought he had demanded too much they refused, and that 
refusal he could not well brook. So he withdrew, and led in the 
organization of a new body which has been known as the " Methodist 
New Connection," but has now united with the Wesleyan body in 
Canada, and become absorbed in "The Methodist Church of Canada." 

Rev. William Mitchell, who acted so conspicuous and im- 
portant a part in the history of Methodism at its organization in 
Michigan, must not be confounded with Joseph Mitchell who spent 
the winter of 1816-17 in Detroit, and of whom we speak elsewhere. 
Our materials for making up a memorial sketch of William Mitchell 
are very few. He was regarded by those who knew him here as a 
very good man and a fine preacher. We gather the following facts 
from our General Minutes, concerning him : He was admitted on 
trial by the Western Conference in 1807, and expelled in 181 2 ; for 
what cause is not stated. In the meantime he had been appointed 
as follows, viz : 1807, Mad River Circuit, in Ohio, as junior preacher ; 
1808 and 1809 (two years), Little Kanawha, in Virginia; 18 10, he 
was ordained Elder and stationed on Detroit Circuit, on which he 
remained only one year; 181 1, Tuscarawas, in the Muskingum Dis- 
trict, in Ohio ; 181 2, the sad announcement is made that he was ex- 
pelled from the connection. Here he is lost to our view. Why Mr. 
Mitchell should have been sent from the Western Conference, when 
Mr. Holmes was sent from the Genesee, we cannot tell. But the 
fact is, so little was known of Detroit that the mistake might easily 
occur. How they settled the matter of jurisdiction we are not in- 
formed, but we infer that Mr. Holmes attended to so much of the 
Circuit as was in Canada, and Mr. Mitchell to Michigan ; so Mr. 
Mitchell organized the Church in Detroit and on the Rouge, as 
before stated. 

This closes our ministerial list for the first period of our History. 
There were but a few men, but they were men of ability. They 
laid a good foundation and commenced to rear a goodly structure, 
and were only interrupted by the breaking out of the war. But we 
have reason to be very thankful that the fruit of their labor was 



40 HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

not all destroyed — that a few were found steadfast at the end of the 
conflict. We will now proceed to give some account of the laymen, 
and of some of the women of this period, which will be interesting 
and valuable. 

Robert Abbott, Esq., holds such a relation to the work of Pro- 
testantism in Michigan, that our History would be quite incomplete 
without a pretty full notice of his life and experience. Some time 
in the month of June, 1810, there was a Camp- Meeting held on the 
River Thames, which Mr. Abbott attended. He had not yet ex- 
perienced renewing grace, but was deeply anxious for his own salva- 
tion, The circumstances of his conversion have before been fully 
related. 

Robert Abbott was born in Detroit, in 1771, and was probably 
the first American born here. We use the term American, in dis- 
tinction from Indian and French ; for although both these were 
American by their residence, they are usually distinguished as 
Indian or French, as the case may be. He was Anglican in his 
origin. His mother is said to have been the first American woman 
speaking the English language who settled at Detroit. She was 
born at Albany, N. Y., of Dutch parentage. His father, James Ab- 
bott, was a merchant from Dublin, Ireland, and is said to have been 
the first English-speaking person who opened business in this city. 
He was here some time before he was married. 

Mr. Abbott was born in the midst of wild savagism ; for it 
would seem that his family was the only English-speaking family 
here at the time. Indians were numerous, and the few French set- 
tlers had conformed themselves almost entirely to the Indian cos- 
tumes and habits of life, and instead of elevating the former they 
had been reduced to their level. This grew partly out of the French 
adaptability to their surroundings. The circumstances were such 
that it was with the utmost difficulty they could obtain a supply of the 
conveniences, or even the necessaries of civilized life. It is a uni- 
versal principle of human nature to avoid much exertion, unless 
there is a very strong stimulus to it. The free and easy kind of 
indolent life of the savage, relieved only by the excitement of the 
chase, suited the French settlers better than the labors and restraints 
of civilization. Agriculture was of no value beyond the supply of 
their immediate wants — it furnished no remuneration. The materials 
for civilized costumes were costly, while they had little or nothing 
to pay. Hunting, fishing and trapping formed their chief occupa- 
tion, and furnished them with what means they had to obtain money 
or goods. Up to this time, the nearest settlement of any account 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 41 

was at Montreal, in Canada, one that was too far off to exercise any 
civilizing influence on the inhabitants of Detroit and its vicinity. The 
British Government had had a garrison of soldiers here for eleven 
years, at the time of Mr. Abbott's birth ; they having wrested Fort 
Ponchartrain from the French, November 29th, 1760. But we know 
a garrison of soldiers never promotes civilization. Indeed, there 
were none here over whom to exert any civilizing influence, except 
the Indians and French. These had made common cause against the 
English, and were alike uninfluenced by them. So complete was the 
identification of the French and Indians, that at the time of Pontiac's 
siege of Detroit the persons and property of the French settlers 
were unharmed. The Indians called them brothers, and treated them 
as such. Pontiac, the great Chief of the Northwest, was not pleased 
with the occupancy of the country by the English, and in 1761 com- 
menced a plan for the destruction of the garrison and all English 
persons who might chance to be in the country. He collected his 
allies from all parts of the country, and made to them the most 
incendiary speeches and aroused all the blood-thirsty dispositions of 
their savage natures. He besieged the garrison at Detroit. He 
cruelly murdered all soldiers, officers, and others whom he could by 
any means get into his possession. One poor old woman who lived 
outside the fort was cruelly murdered, and an unoffending old man, 
who resided on what is now called Belle Isle, was likewise slain. He 
laid a deep plot to get into the fort and take it by treachery, but 
this was revealed to the commanding officer, General Gladwin, and 
so failed. He finally abandoned his project, and in 1764 raised the 
siege of Detroit and returned to the Maumee River. The popula- 
tion at this time, for the whole of Michigan, was said to be about 
2,500; but a census taken in 1768 reports only 572. It is quite 
probable that the former number is an exaggeration ; but a reason is 
given for the decrease ; that is, that many of the inhabitants, fearing 
the consequences of having taken a part with Pontiac, fled to Illinois. 
But this is hardly sufficient to account for the difference. The place 
now being under the British Government, and having become com- 
paratively safe for English people, Mr. James Abbott, a merchant 
from Dublin, Ireland, and father of our subject, settled here for trade. 
He was born here as before stated, in the midst of exciting and 
savage scenes, for society had not much improved in the last ten 
years. Detroit was a great point of concentration for the natives to 
dispose of their peltries and to receive annuities from the British 
Government. 

When Mr. Robert Abbott came to maturity he entered into the 



42 HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

fur trade with the Indians and succeeded in acquiring a good property 
for the times. He also acquired a respectable business education, so 
that he was in a condition to fill the Government offices of the times 
with credit and satisfaction, he having been Auditor General of the 
Territory for several years. Under the circumstances with which he 
was surrounded and brought up, he was utterly destitute of religious 
knowledge until after he had attained his majority, or manhood. 
He probably heard Mr. Freeman and Mr. Bangs preach when they 
were here in 1804. He married into a Roman Catholic family, and 
it is rather a matter of wonder that, under the circumstances, he did 
not drink in that faith ; but he seemed not to have done so. When 
Mr. Case came to Detroit, in 1809, as a Methodist Missionary, he 
found a home with Mr. Abbott, and after many conferences on the 
subject, he made up his mind to enlist under the banner of Christ as 
presented by Mr. Case, and was happily converted in June, 18 10. 
The fact that he made a profession of experimental religion indicates 
a decision of character which is very commendable. None of his 
family or friends were quite ready to join with him then, though 
some did soon after. He had to take his stand alone. Even his 
wife and her friends were strongly against him, and he had every 
reason to expect he would meet with scorn and contempt, if not 
open persecution. It was only after long and very earnest thought 
that he decided the question of becoming a Christian ; but having 
once decided he ought to do so, he entered upon it with alacrity. 
It is not to be wondered at that, after so severe and long-continued 
a mental struggle, the change should be marked 2nd that his 
Christian joy should rise very high, as it did when he received the 
evidence of pardoning grace. Having put his hand to the plow, he 
never looked back nor turned aside from his profession of faith in 
Christ. 

When Rev. Mr. Case came to Detroit, in 1809, there were no 
Protestant professors of religion in the Territory, so far as then 
known, and consequently there were no Christians to greet him on 
his coming or to give him welcome. He came to Detroit as a 
Christian adventurer, seeking to save the lost in sin. Mr. Abbott, 
by some means not now ascertainable, found out that such a man 
was in the city, and was at once strongly drawn to him, and invited 
him to his house. He proved to be an angel of love and mercy. 
Mrs. Abbott and her relatives were very bitterly opposed to this 
procedure. It will at once be apparent that, under the circum- 
stances, it required a great amount of firm decision on the part of 
Mr. Abbott to take a Methodist preacher into his house and furnish 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 43 

him a resting place. But he did it. How the preacher was received 
by the wife, and what fears she entertained, have been before nar- 
rated. When the Church was to be organized here he united with 
it, helping to constitute it. For many years he took as active a part 
in the affairs of the Church as his health and the duties of his office 
would permit, and contributed liberally of his money for the main- 
tenance of the Gospel. The latter he continued to do to the end of 
his life. 

When it was decided to build a church on the River Rouge, 
about five miles out of the city, which was done in 1818, he took a 
very active interest in obtaining and collecting subscriptions for that 
purpose. Indeed, he had to manage the business mainly himself, 
because he had more means and time at command than any other 
member. All the members did what they could, but he necessarily 
had to be very active in it. About the time of the building of this 
church, for a few years he resided on a farm in its immediate vicinity, 
surrounded by French Roman Catholics mainly, who had little or no 
regard for the Sabbath. Mr. Abbott having been appointed a Jus- 
tice of tbe Peace, fined many of them for working on the Sabbath. 
He met with much opposition in this, and some threats of violence 
to his property for it, but he persevered and effected quite a reform- 
ation in this respect for the time being. 

He was firm and decided in his attachment to the Christian 
cause and the Church of his choice, and his end was peace. A 
few days before his death one of his sons asked him how he felt in 
his mind. He said, "There is not a cloud, betwixt me and heaven, as 
big as a hand." As he came to the valley of the shadow of death 
he feared no evil. He died very easy and peacefully, for God was 
with him. 

There are a few incidents occurring in his life worthy of note. 
He was the first Anglo-American born in Detroit. He was the first 
person who experienced the forgiveness of sins, through faith in the 
blood of Christ, of the residents here. He was one to help form the 
first Protestant Church in Michigan — at Detroit — and to take an 
active part toward the erection of the first Protestant meeting-house 
in Michigan. These are events which do not often occur in the his- 
tory of one man. The late Bishop Thomson, who was once stationed 
in Detroit for two years, and knew Mr. Abbott well, writes of him ; 
" Mr. Abbott was what Pope calls the noblest work of God, 'an 
honest man.' He was much of his time in political life, and was one 
of those rare men who can sacrifice office to principle, and expose 
corruption even in those who have power to displace them." 



44 HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

Many of Mr. Abbott's later years were spent in much suffering, 
but these physical sufferings were endured patiently, "as seeing Him 
that is invisible." He died at Coldwater, 1853, aged eighty-two 
years. He had temporarily removed his residence from Detroit to 
Coldwater, Michigan, and made his home with a married daughter, 
Mrs. Chandler. Here he waited patiently for his release from the 
labors and sufferings of earth, and met death with a smile. 

William McCarty, who was the first class-leader ever appoint- 
ed in Michigan, and who held the office for many years, comes next 
to our notice and is worthy of a memorial sketch. He was born 
on Grosse Isle, in 1798. His father was an Irishman and had been 
pressed into the British Army, but as soon as he could get released 
from the army he came to Michigan and settled on Grosse Isle, 
having married, and where William was born. The educational ad- 
vantages were very few in Michigan at that time, and William re- 
ceived but very little help in that direction in his youth. Our subject 
possessed all the lively sympathy and warm-heartedness for which 
the Irish are so proverbial. He was led to a consecration of his 
heart to God and a Christian experience, under the labors of Rev. 
William Mitchell, of whom mention has already been made. The 
precise time is not given, but it must have been within a few months 
after the conversion of Robert Abbott, who was his brother-in-law, 
as he was one of the seven to form the first Society or Church, when 
it was organized in late autumn of 18 10, and he was appointed the 
class-leader and continued to perform the duties of that office while 
the preachers remained, before the war. When the occurrence of 
the war took the ministers away, he kept the flock together as well 
as he could, holding religious services with them, so that when they 
were permitted to come again, which was after three years of priva- 
tion, seven were found to be recognized as a Church. His care and 
supervision over them during this interval of ministerial service had 
.great influence, at this critical period, to keep them alive in the cause 
— "steadfast in the faith." When Rev. Joseph Hickox came to 
Detroit Circuit, in 181 5, he found seven, that is the seven named as 
constituting the original Society, still standing fast in the faith. These 
he immediately recognized as members of the Church — and con- 
tinued William McCarty as the class-leader. Mr. McCarty was 
well adapted to that office. He possessed a warm and lively 
temperament, ready utterance, very respectable talents, and a sound 
Christian experience. These are very important qualifications for 
a successful class-leader. He held this office most of the time 
until his death. He was licensed as an exhorter, April 20th, 1822, 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 45, 

by Rev, John P. Kent. This was while Mr. Kent was supplying 
Detroit Circuit, after the death of Rev. Piatt B. Morey, as noticed in 
its proper place hereafter. He continued to hold license as an ex- 
horter as long as he lived. In this department of Church labor he 
had few equals. 

Mr. McCarty continued to reside in the County of Wayne and 
in the vicinity of Detroit until the summer of 1 831, at which time he 
removed to the County of Branch and settled on a small prairie in 
the township of Girard. In this locality he was one to help consti- 
tute the second Christian Church organized in Branch County. The 
first Society was organized by Rev. E. H. Pilcher, on the 19th of 
June, 1832, at Coldwater, consisting of Allen Tibbitts, Caroline M. 
Tibbitts, Joseph Hanchett and Nancy Hanchett. This second Soci- 
ety was organized a few weeks later, by Rev. E. S. Gavit, the junior 
preacher on the Circuit. When the county of Branch was organ- 
ized, in 1833, he was elected the first sheriff and removed his resi- 
dence to Coldwater, where he finally ended his career. At this place 
he entered into trade in the days of wild speculation — in 1836 and 
1837, but failed in business, as many others did. Now there came a 
hard struggle for him and a test of his Christian character. If he at- 
tempted to pay his debts, it would strip him of everything, and he 
and his wife, with part of his family who were still dependent on 
him for support and education, would be thrown upon the world with 
nothing — to begin the world anew. He had it in his power now to 
keep a sufficient amount of property under cover to make himself 
and family very comfortable during his life. The temptation was 
very strong to do so, and the reasoning very specious. He strug- 
gled with this temptation for some time ; but, as might have been ex- 
pected, he was without religious life or consolation. Finally, he saw 
clearly what would be the result to his soul, and grace triumphed. 
He immediately determined to do right — to make a clean sweep 
of the matter, and expose all his property to meet his debts, as far 
as possible. No sooner had he made this determination than he be- 
came exceedingly happy, and ever after thanked God that he had 
been able to resist the temptation and do right. He died very happy 
in 1844, aged fifty-five years, having been a member of the Method- 
ist Episcopal Church for thirty-four years. It had been a very com- 
mon remark with him that he expected " to go straight from Cold- 
water to heaven." While on his death-bed he said to his children, 
"Live religion." To a Christian brother who called to see him a few 
days before his departure he said: "Brother Fisk, if I could get 
loose from this old body, how quick I would be there — in heaven." 



46 HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

Thus he died, in the faith for which he had contended for so many 
years, and has gone to receive that " crown of righteousness which 
the Lord the righteous Judge " had prepared for him. He was 
the second man who professed conversion in Michigan. We are 
indebted to him for much valuable information in regard to 'the 
organization of the Methodist Church in this peninsula. 

Betsey Abbott. How soon will all means of obtaining informa- 
tion of the early history of Protestantism in Michigan be gone! All 
the members of the first Protestant Church in Michigan are now 
laid in the grave. Betsey Abbott was the wife of Robert Abbott, 
and was brought to the knowledge of salvation soon after he was, 
and she was ready to join the Methodist Church as soon as there 
was one to be organized. She was sister to Mrs. Maria C. McCarty. 
We have already given sufficient notice of her early religious train- 
ing and prejudices. These prejudices yielded to the power of grace 
and she became decidedly attached to the Church she had so violent- 
ly opposed. After her conversion she always retained her relation 
to the Church as a member. She was not at her own home at the 
time of her death, as she had resided, ever after the death of her hus- 
band, with her daughter at Coldwater. She had been visiting her 
daughter, Mrs. E. V. Cicott in Detroit, for a short time previous to 
her death. The following brief notice of her, written by her pastor, 
was published at the time : " Died, in Detroit, Michigan, March 24th, 
[1858], Betsey Abbott, of this place, aged seventy-three years and 
four months. The deceased had been a useful member of the 
Methodist Episcopal Church for forty-eight years. Herself, her 
companion and her sister, were three of the first class of seven or- 
ganized in Detroit — the first Methodist class formed in the State. 
The sister of the deceased, who also is a resident of this place, is the 
only one now living. 

" Sister Abbott was an amiable and faithful Christian, highly es- 
teemed and loved while she lived, and her death has caused deep 
sorrow among acquaintances and friends. She died in peace, trust- 
ing in the merits of the Saviour. 

"Coldwater, Mich., April 5th, 1858. N. ABBOTT." 

In relation to Mrs. Abbott, the late Bishop Thomson, in an 
article in the Western Christian Advocate, dated Oct. 6th, 1858, thus 
speaks : " She had a strong attachment to the Church, and opened 
her house with grace to its ministers. It was amusing to hear her 
tales of early days, and particularly her anecdotes of the eccen- 
tric Mitchell, who said on one occasion, while preaching in Detroit: 
'You, General Macomb, and you, General Cass, will burn in hell 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. AJ 

like common sinners, if you do not repent !' and on another occa- 
sion cried out, at the commencement of religious services, 'Stop that 
ungodly big fiddle till we get done worship !' 

" It was no less amusing to hear her account of the reproofs she 
administered on such occasions, when she got the offending minister 
seated at her hospitable table." 

Thus are the relics of the early days of Methodism in Michigan 
passing away ; for when the preparation for this History was com- 
menced Mrs. Abbott and Mrs. McCarty, with their husbands, were 
both living and were freely consulted ; but they are now both gone, 
thus severing the last living links of this period of our Methodistic 
History, because all the ministers who officiated here then are also 
gone. 

Maria C. McCarty was the last survivor of the seven who con- 
stituted the first Protestant Church organization in Detroit, and was 
the first to feel the true conviction for sin, though not the first one 
converted in the city. She resided in the City of Detroit in 1804, 
and always retained a lively recollection of the visit and preaching 
of Rev. Mr. Freeman, in that year, of whom we have before spoken. 
His bold, earnest preaching impressed her heart deeply, so that she 
never was satisfied with her condition till she found peace in Christ, 
some years afterwards. The conversion of her brother-in-law, Rob- 
ert Abbott, took such hold upon her already awakened heart that 
she soon gave herself up to Christ and found peace in His name. 
As soon as there was a minister to organize a Church, she was ready 
to unite with it. She had been educated, as her sister Mrs. Abbott, 
in abhorence of the Methodists, but did not appear to have partaken 
of the spirit of opposition in the same measure. But whatever her 
prejudices might have been, they all finally yielded to the power of 
truth, when she gave her heart to the Saviour. Her life was con- 
sistent with her profession, and she always remained firm in her 
attachment to the Church of her choice. Her last days were cheer- 
ful and happy. 

We avail ourselves of the following obituary notice, written by 
Hon. Albert Chandler and published in one of the papers of the 
City of Coldwater, at the time of her death : 

" Died, in the City of Coldwater, on the morning of the 10th ult., 
Mrs. Maria C. McCarty, widow of the whilom Wm. McCarty, at the 
advanced age of seventy-six years, after an illness of three months. 
The deceased was born in the City of Philadelphia. At an early age 
her parents with their children moved to Pittsburgh, Pa., where she 
received her education, and at the age of twelve years she with her 



48 HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

parents removed to Detroit, where she resided for a number of 
years, and especially during the war of 1812 ; she passing through 
all the trials incident to that war on the frontier. She witnessed the 
disgraceful surrender of Detroit. In 1831, she with her husband 
emigrated to Branch County. When she arrived where now stands 
the flourishing City of Coldwater she was sheltered by her son- 
in-law, Mr. Allen Tibbitts, in the only house then standing on the 
ground of the present city. After spending just time enough to 
visit her children, she and her husband started for their contemplated 
farm home in the township of Girard, Branch County. At this time 
Girard was an Indian village, and the whole region round about was 
in almost the undisturbed possession of the Indians, of whom there 
were hundreds, while of the whites there were but few. After spend- 
ing a few years in Girard, more white people having come to join 
the white population, a Methodist quarterly meeting was announced 
to be held in Coldwater. The Methodists from far and near were noti- 
fied, and at the appointed time the Presiding Elder, Rev. James Gil- 
ruth, riding one horse and leading another, as was his custom, ap- 
peared to fill the appointment he had made. The services were con- 
ducted in the aforesaid house of Mr. Tibbitts, which was a house 
of but one room, and this answered the purpose of church, class 
room, parlor, sitting room, dining room, kitchen and bed room. 
Thirty-one worshipped in that house, the deceased among the number, 
and tarried there during the quarterly meeting. It was a joyous 
meeting of Christians. The communicants came to worship God — 
no conventional nonsense prevented the full enjoyment of the occa- 
sion. Soon after this memorable quarterly meeting, the first held in 
the county, the deceased with her husband moved to Coldwater, 
where she remained uninterruptedly until her death. She was a 
firm and uncompromising Christian woman. Her religion was a 
garment worn every day. She was the life and soul of every circle 
in which she moved. With a wonderful memory of particulars, she 
always interested and enlivened by her conversation. She was the 
first to rise when opportunity was given for those who wished to 
join in the first class of Methodists of the State of Michigan, and is 
the last to fall in death and go to her reward in heaven, of that class. 
Her husband, and other members of that first class of seven organ- 
ized in Detroit in 18 10, are gone. Her husband was the first class- 
leader and the first licensed exhorter in the State, and continued to 
hold these offices, and also that of Sabbath-School Superintendent, 
until his death, which occurred about eighteen years since. The 
deceased was punctual to all her engagements as a mother, citizen 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 49 

and Christian. For years, if any of her family or sisters in the 
Church were sick, the first person sent for was 'Aunty McCarty,' as 
she was affectionately called. She never made excuses, but night 
and day, rain or shine, she would promptly repair to the sick couch 
and intelligently administer to the wants of the sufferer. 

"She was a true friend to the Union. She knew what it had 
cost of sacrifice and blood ; and when the rebels struck at the life of 
the nation she yielded her full share of children and grandchildren 
for its maintenance. To show her attachment to the Union, it may 
be proper to give an incident. She had a sister living South during 
the Rebellion. That sister, in the last letter she wrote the deceased, 
undertook the defense of the right of secession. She replied warm- 
ly, denying the right of the South to go away, maintaining the cause 
of the Union of our fathers. This closed the correspondence. She 
has lived to see the State take the place of the Territory, and the 
city grow up around that one house. In all her stay she was the 
universal favorite. She was a remarkably healthy and active woman, 
and industrious to a fault. She was known only to be loved. Her 
end was such as might have been expected from her life. She had 
stood up for Jesus for over half a ceutury. Not long before her 
death she said to the writer: T know in whom I trust.' She quietly 
fell asleep in Jesus — 'blessed sleep.' " 

Thus far, Mr. Chandler. Her decease occurred June ioth, 
1863. In her death we lose the last link connecting us with the 
Methodist Episcopal Church in Detroit before the war. 

William Stacy was converted soon after Robert Abbott, and 
joined the Church at the same time with him and others to form the 
first Christian Church, other than Roman Catholic, in this peninsula. 
He was not large of stature nor very active in religious meetings, 
but he was firm, quiet and steady in his religious life. He settled in 
the vicinity of Detroit some time prior to 1810, though the exact 
time cannot be ascertained now. At the time of his death, which 
occurred in 1827, he resided on a farm on the River Rouge, about 
seven miles out of the City of Detroit. He left a fragrant memorial 
behind. He was the first of the original seven who entered into 
the heavenly rest. In his religious devotions he was very devout 
and earnest, but not boisterous. He attended the prayer and class 
meetings very constantly, and always took part in the exercises. He 
was a very devoted Christian, and died in full hope of a glorious 
immortality. 

Betsey Stacy was the wife of the above, and survived him for 
a number of years. Her maiden name was Thomas, She was 



50 HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

born in Newtown, New York, and was converted to God about the 
same time with her husband, so that she joined the Methodist Epis- 
copal Church on the same day and was one of the noted seven. 
She was large of stature, commanding and noble in her appearance, 
and of an ardent temperament. Her early advantages for religious 
and intellectual culture were very limited, but her conversion was 
sound and clear. Her religious life was steady and consistent. She 
was more active in Church work and religious meetings than her 
husband, and could exhort with great power, sympathy and effect. 
She lived a widow for a number of years after the death of Mr. 
Stacy, and then married for her second husband, Philip Warren, a 
very devoted and excellent Christian man, with whom she lived hap- 
pily for several years. Her faith and religious activity continued 
to the last. She died in a good old age, in 1853. Her funeral 
sermon was preached by Rev. C. C. Olds, who was stationed in the 
Congress Street Church, Detroit, of which she was a member at the 
time of her death. In all her life and devotions she demonstrated 
the power of Divine grace to purify and sustain ; and when she 
came to the Jordan of death she feared no evil, but passed peace- 
fully away. 

Sarah Macomb is the least known of all these seven. We are 
able at this distance of time, in the absence of records, to obtain but 
very little information in regard to this Christian lady. She resided 
on the Rouge ; was the wife of Major Macomb, a major in the mili- 
tia, and who did not live very long after the war. After his death 
she married a Mr. Corbus, and some time about 1830 she removed 
to the eastern edge of Branch County, where she lived for a number 
of years, and has finally gone to her heavenly home, we have no 
doubt. Of her last years we have not been able to gather much in- 
formation, especially as it regards her religious life. She was one of 
the early converts, and joined the Church as soon as it was proposed 
to organize one here. During the dark days of the war she stood 
firm in the cause, and was one of the members recognized by the 
minister who came first after the war. We have no doubt of her 
peaceful end from the devotion she made in early life and in the 
beginning- of the work here. We have not been able to ascertain 
the precise time or the circumstances of her death. 

Thus have we given a brief biographical or memorial sketch of 
the original seven who constituted the first Protestant Church organ- 
ized in Detroit — in Michigan. They embraced four families — that is, 
there were three men and their wives, and one lady whose husband 
did not join. There are a few particulars, very interesting, worthy 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 5 I 

of notice. The first of these is, that these original seven should 
alone have remained faithful and adhered together to the cause of 
Christ during the struggle of the war, while all the others who 
joined afterwards were scattered — though they did not all give up the 
cause of religion, as was the case with Mrs. Witherell, of whom we 
shall give a notice a little farther along. Another singular and in- 
teresting fact is, that not one of these seven ever became an apos- 
tate from the faith, but all retained their membership uninterruptedly 
through life, and died in the faith and peace of the Gospel. A third 
particular is, that these seven alone, five years later, at the close of 
the war, should have been recognized as the Methodist Episcopal 
Church in Detroit, by Rev. Mr. Hickox, while all the others — for the 
Church had increased to thirty before the war — should have been 
scattered. This last fact is so singular that we would have been very 
slow to believe it had we not had the united testimony of four of 
these same persons. As we have been personally acquainted with 
five of these original seven, we have received the statement from 
their own lips. We record these things to the praise and glory of 
Him who had called them out of darkness into "His marvelous 

light." 

Amy Witherell. One very pious lady has generally been 
overlooked, in speaking of the early Methodists of this State, prob- 
ably for the reason that she left Detroit on a visit to Vermont 
sometime in 1811, in a little less than a year from the time she first 
came here, she being afraid of the Indians, and did not return 
until 181 7 — till the country became thoroughly quiet after the war. 
This lady was Mrs. Amy Witherell, wife of Judge James Witherell, 
one of the Territorial Judges, and mother of the late Judge B. F. H. 
Witherell of Detroit. This lady came to Detroit to reside, in the 
autumn of 18 10, soon after the Methodist Society was organized, and 
had been a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church in Vermont. 
She was born in 1778, and died in Detroit in 1848, aged 70 years. 
It was our good fortune to have been somewhat acquainted with her. 
She possessed a very vigorous and independent mind ; had an amia- 
ble disposition, and always shed a radiance of delight around her. 
She was converted to an experience of Christian grace and love in 
early youth, and joined the Methodist Episcopal Church in Ver- 
mont, at a time when it required no little independence of mind to 
do so, as well as courage to be associated with them. One little in- 
cident will serve to show how the Methodist Church was regarded at 
that time. Her husband had come to Detroit — having been ap- 
pointed one of the Judges of the Territory — to prepare to bring his 



52 HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

family here to reside. Mrs. Witherell wished to attend a Methodist 
meeting a few miles from her home, and went to a neighbor to pro- 
cure a horse to ride, as it was rather too long a walk for her. The 
neighbor said he was willing to lend her the horse, but he wished 
she would hitch the animal out of hearing of the preaching. He was 
afraid the Methodist preaching would contaminate even his horse^ 
Mrs. Witherell was a very pious, consistent Christian, an ornament 
to the Church for many years, and died in great peace. She became 
a Methodist at a time when it was far from being fashionable to be- 
come one. Christianity, as believed and presented by the Methodists, 
she looked upon as being the religion of the heart, and as such, she 
gave to it her unqualified assent. Though born in Rhode Island, 
about 1786 she removed to Vermont, and there first heard the early 
pioneer Methodist preachers, of whom, in after life, she frequently 
spoke as earnest men of God. Through a long life there was " no 
variableness or shadow of turning" with her. She well understood 
the principles of Methodism, having made herself familiar with 
Fletcher's Checks, Wesley's Sermons, and other works on the sub- 
ject. She was always ready to give a reason for the hope that was 
in her. She was not fond of controversy, but when sought by " the 
orthodox," as the Calvinists called themselves, she was ready, and 
they seldom retired with many laurels. Her son, Hon. B. F. H„ 
Witherell, said to us once, " I recollect many years ago in Vermont, 
she attended a Calvinist Conference meeting. The clergyman, who 
was a friend of our family, came up to her and said, in his peculiar, 
friendly way, 'Well, Mrs. Witherell, when shall we have you with 
us?' She promptly replied, 'Never while I have my senses,' — which 
at once settled the question." 

We take pleasure in introducing the following sketch from the 
pen of the late Bishop Thomson, when he was editor of the Western 
Christian Advocate, under date of Oct. 6th, 1858: "Of Mrs. Amy 
Witherell I must be allowed to say something, as, through some 
oversight, no notice of her death has been taken, I believe, in any 
of our Church papers. She was descended from Roger Williams, 
and was born in Smithfield, Rhode Island, on June 17th, 1778. 
While but a child she was removed to Vermont, where she enjoyed 
the ministry of Bishop Hedding and some of his worthy associates. 
Under the first Methodist sermon she ever heard, she became con- 
vinced of the truth of Methodist doctrines, and she never changed 
her opinion. Early a subject of grace and a member of the Church, 
she remained faithful unto death. In 18 10, when Detroit was a 
mere village and military post, she removed to it As the Indians 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 53 

here received their annuities, Mrs. Witherell found her home un- 
pleasant, for from early life she had entertained a great fear of the 
savages. Her husband, therefore, proposed that his wife should 
take the three youngest children East, and spend the winter there. 
As the prospect of war soon arose, they did not return in the spring, 
but were followed by the rest of the family — two daughters — who 
returned by land. 

"In 1 813 Judge Witherell purchased the property where the 
Troy Conference Academy now stands, and where his family re- 
mained till 181 7. In this year they returned to Detroit. It was 
before the whistle of the steamboat had been heard upon the West- 
ern lakes, and their conveyance from Buffalo was by a small sailing 
vessel. During the voyage a sudden storm arose, drenching all the 
passengers on deck. Mrs. Witherell escaped to the hold, where, 
being fastened down, she remained without food or light for thirty 
hours. At length the vessel arrived off Cleveland, where the people, 
surveying her Irom the shore, were expecting to see it go down. 
Providentially, through an opening in the bar of driftwood of the 
river just large enough to admit its passage, it escaped. 

" Mrs. Witherell was a lady of a remarkably sweet spirit. Her 
life was one of trial, affliction, bereavement and persecution ; yet 
she passed it patiently in faith, joyful through hope, and rooted in 
charity. She was called to lay in the grave several of her children 
under the most painful circumstances ; one shortly after his gradua- 
tion, another while midshipman in the navy — all of them of great 
promise ; yet she murmured not. The ten last years of her life she 
spent in widowhood; but cheerful and happy, a pleasant companion 
either for youth or age. 

"During her residence in New England the Methodists were 
few, feeble, and much misrepresented. Mrs. Witherell was often 
assailed by sarcasm, raillery and abuse, as well as argument and re- 
monstrance ; but having a ready memory and a ready utterance, she 
always had a reason for her hope, and so happy and so triumphant 
in her replies that she received from her neighbors the title conferred 
by the Pope upon King Henry the Eighth, 'Defender of the Faith.' 

"She was not so bigoted as to prevent her from attending sister 
churches when her own was closed, and sometimes catholicity was 
mistaken for wavering. While in attendance at a hyper-Calvinistic 
Church, on an examination of candidates for admission, a reverend 
gentleman approaching her, inquired with a pompous air, 'When, 
Mrs. Witherell, shall we have you among us ?' ' Not while I have 
my senses,' was the reply. The prejudice against Methodism at that 



54 HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

time can now scarcely be conceived. A lady, known as an ex- 
emplary Christian, applied to the Church to which she belonged for 
a letter to unite with the Methodists; but she was turned out to the 
bufferings of Satan. The pastor of that Church, however, on his 
dying bed sent for Methodist ministers, to pray and talk with him. 

" In Fairhaven the pastor of a Calvinistic Church forbade his 
son's attendance on the ministry of the Methodists, and when he dis- 
obeyed, he followed him, and taking him by the collar, led him out. 

" Mrs. Witherell's house was a hospitable home for the preachers, 
among whom she used often to speak of Byington, White, Draper, 
Lewis and Dunbar. She died August 7th, 1 848. She was one of 
the excellent of the earth. After her visits to our parsonage, my 
good wife was accustomed to find some pieces of silver or gold 
dropped into a vase or concealed beneath a cloth. Of her it might be 
said, ' She stretcheth out her hand to the poor ; yea, she stretcheth 
out her hands to the needy. She openeth her mouth with wisdom, 
and in her hand is the law of kindness. Her children rise up and 
call her blessed ; yea, her husband also praiseth her.' 

" She served her generation and fell asleep in Jesus, in full 
prospect of the resurrection morning. I find one daughter of hers 
still in the Detroit Church, as an ornamental pillar."* 

At this point we must close our first period of History, because 
there is now a chasm in ministerial services for the space of three 
years. The horrors of war were experienced by the inhabitants of 
Detroit and vicinity — Eastern Michigan — and, as we have seen, the 
ministers of the Gospel were prevented from ministering to the 
Church here. During the past period there was but one year in 
which there was, designedly, more than one minister on the Detroit 
Circuit ; that was the last year before the war commenced, when Mr. 
Holmes was assisted by Silas Hopkins. It is probable they so ar- 
ranged the Circuit that there was preaching regularly at each ap- 
pointment once in two weeks. But there were a few very earnest 
men and women, as we have seen, who during their deprivation of 
ministerial service, kept up their regular services, and maintained 
the work of God. It is very difficult, if not impossible, for us at 
this period of the growth of the city and country, and of the Church, 
to realize the difficulties they had to encounter. But God was with 
them, and though most of them were dispersed — some going to 
other parts, and some going back to sin — a few stood fast in the 
faith, and kept the Church alive, the fortunes of which will be re- 
corded in our further History. 

*This was Mrs. Mary A. Palmer, who has bim:e died, vi.' : March 19th, 1874, after a very brief illness. A 
memoir of her will be given in the proper place. 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 55 




CHAPTER III. 

Close of the War — First Appointment — Other Denominations — Monteith — Hickox in Canada — 
Col. James' Order — Suceess — Keflections — Presbyterian Ministers — Friendship Interrupted 
— Mitchell — Evangelistic Society — Grant of Land — Presbyterian Church Organized — 
Laning Appointed — Harmon — Numbers — Davis — Conclusion. 

E had to close our last period just at the opening of the 
war between Great Britain and the United States. War 
was declared on the part of the United States against 
Great Britain in June, 1812, and Michigan being directly 
on the border, had to be much involved. Detroit and 

t Monroe were the only points where anything of importance 
could be transacted. The bloody massacre at Monroe or French 
Town has passed into history. Our business is not so much 
with the State as the Church, still we must take sufficient notice 
of the affairs of the State, as to enable the reader to appreciate 
the difficulties with which the Church had to struggle. 

This chapter properly opens a new period in our History, but 
with no very flattering prospects. The storms and tempests which 
had raged in this region, from the time the United States declared 
war against Great Britain until peace was declared in 181 5, laid 
waste every fair prospect and scattered almost entirely the little flock 
of Christians who lived in and about Detroit. 

We may here remark that no other denomination of Christians 
had as yet made any effort to establish a Church in this place or in 
this peninsula. Nor had any other ministers ventured to brave the 
difficulties and dangers and to endure the privations necessary to 
come here to preach the Gospel, with the one exception before 
named, and he preached but a few times and gave up the field in 
despair. All that had been done for the moral and religious im- 
provement of the people, except so far as Romanism does that, 
had been done by the Methodists alone. 



56 HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

As soon as the clouds of war began to disappear, so that it was, 
practicable to keep open the intercourse between the two nations, 
ministers were sent to this field ; and Detroit appears again on our 
Minutes in 1815. The Genesee Conference met at Lyons, in the 
State of New York, June 29th, 181 5, when the condition of the peo- 
ple of Detroit and the adjacent country was duly considered. It was 
determined at this session to send them a minister. According to 
this determination, Rev. Joseph Hickox was appointed to Detroit, 
which was included in the Upper Canada District, with Wm. Case as 
Presiding Elder. . The Circuit at the time was in chaos, and he was 
expected to include a wide range of country, requiring a vast 
amount of labor and self-sacrifice to make its rounds. What an 
undertaking! But where was there ever a field of labor coming 
within the range of possibilities, that was neglected or abandoned by 
the Methodist itinerants ! They have always been noted for perse- 
vering labors. 

Mr. Hickox was a young, unmarried man, full of life and energy, 
having been but three years in the ministry. He was ordained 
Elder this year, which was a year in advance of the regular time, in 
view of his being appointed to this distant and isolated field. What 
more noble spirit could be exhibited than was here displayed! Here 
he was, a lone man assigned to this distant field of labor, to gain his 
support as best he could among the people. There was then no 
Missionary Society upon which he could rely for a support. He had 
to go out in the name of his Master, hardly knowing whither he went. 
He was a young man of talent, whose words dropped from his lips 
with a peculiar unction ; he was of the Saint Chrysostom cast. He 
possessed an earnest piety and zeal that carried him through all the 
difficulties and embarrassments which presented themselves in his 
path. Mr. Hickox continued on this Circuit for two years. 

This chapter will embrace what we may denominate the second 
period of Protestantism in Michigan. This period will run through a 
term of five years and will take in a little wider range than the former, 
because the country having become a little more settled, the Circuit 
embraced a wider extent of Michigan soil We make this period 
extend to the time when Michigan was transferred from the Genesee 
to the Ohio Conference, which was done by the General Conference 
of 1820. This period extends from June 29th, 1815, to July, 1820. 
The first appointment from the Ohio Conference was made in 
August, 1820. Joseph Hickox was the first minister appointed, and 
Truman Dixon was the last. We shall soon see what changes shall 
have occurred in these five years. 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 57 

As was to be expected, the ravages of war had made their im- 
pression on the feeble Christian Church which had been organized 
in Detroit. They had now been three years without a pastor, and 
in the midst of war scenes. In consequence of this interruption of 
pastoral and ministerial labor, and the demoralizing influences of war, 
when Mr. Hickox arrived he only found seven who " had not defiled 
their garments," and who wished to be regarded as members of a 
Christian Church. It was emphatically a little Church in the wilder- 
ness. How their hearts must have leaped for joy when a minister 
was sent to them again! It was like the dawning of the morning 
after a long and dreary night. This was the number of Protestant 
Christians in Michigan in 1815. 

They were at once recognized by Mr. Hickox as a Christian 
Church, and were cheered and animated in their Christian course by 
the regular visits and ministrations of this young and active minister 
of Jesus Christ. There were several of the Corbuses, Thomases and 
Hanchetts residing on the River Rouge, from three to eight miles 
out of the city, who soon became members, so that the Society in- 
creased with considerable rapidity; nevertheless, it was subject to con- 
siderable fluctuations. The increase of population was slow, as yet, 
and the labors of the minister in Michigan was confined to Detroit 
and its vicinity. The precise numbers in Society for each year can- 
not be ascertained, as the old class-books are not to be found and 
the Conference Minutes include the members on the Canada side 
also. It is much to be regretted that the early records were so 
loosely kept. Indeed, no book of records was used except the class 
book, and that often consisted of a single sheet of paper folded so 
as to make several pages. When this little book was filled, or per- 
haps when the list of members was revised, the names were trans- 
ferred to a new one of similar capacity, leaving out all who had 
died, removed, withdrawn or been expelled; then this was usually 
thrown aside as a matter of no more consequence. The thought 
was not entertained that these old books would ever be of any 
service or interest as historical references. Mr. McCarty, however, 
who was the first class leader in Michigan and continued in that 
capacity for many years, took the precaution to preserve nearly all his 
books — had them all stitched together and neatly preserved until his 
death. When he died, the minister who preached his funeral sermon 
called on the widow and obtained these books, with the pledge that 
he would return them — a pledge that he failed to redeem. As this 
minister shortly after left the place and the ministry, and died, it has 
been impossible to reclaim them. We can now only arrive approx- 



58 HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

imately at the numbers in Society in Michigan, from the General 
Minutes, because the Detroit Circuit extended into Canada, and the 
majority of the members resided on that side of the river. In this 
state of facts we have had to rely very much on the recollections of 
the few relics of those days with whom we have been able to con- 
verse. These recollections conflict in some instances. But we have 
to make the best we can of their statements ; for what we have lost 
in regard to these things is irreclaimably lost. 

As before stated, Mr. Hickox was appointed to this field, and 
after a tedious and perilous journey, he reached Detroit and com- 
menced his labors. An account of his journey will be found in the 
next chapter. Mr. Hickox gives the following statement of affairs 
here on his arrival : "In that portion of the work situated on the 
Canada side I found the remnants of a few societies which had been 
formed by the Rev. William Case and his successors ; but the 
tumults of war had destroyed every vestige of organization. In 
Michigan, some itinerants had labored here, partially before the war." 

Mr. Hickox continues his narrative : " Among the Methodists I 
found in Detroit was Robert Abbott, Esq. He was an upright and 
useful man, and of essential service in building up the Church there. 
He introduced me to the Governor, General Cass, who received 
me kindly, expressing his pleasure at finding I was to labor in 
that held ; said that the Council House should always be at my ser- 
vice when I came, and himself and family would be constant attend- 
ants. He afterwards showed every favor that could be desired. 

" At that time the work placed before the missionary was such 
as to appall the heart, and such did he feel to be his own inadequacy 
for it that nothing short of his confidence in the power and abound- 
ing grace of God could have emboldened him to undertake it or to 
persevere in it. Detroit was a sink of iniquity The original inhab- 
itants were Canadian French, characterized by all the loose morals 
of secluded Catholicism. Besides, it had been under martial law for 
three years, alternately under the British and American dominancy. 
The pandemonium created by rum-drinking British soldiers, Indians 
and French may more easily be imagined than described. It was 
awful. 

" Though the morals of our troops were of a higher grade than 
the others, yet war in its mildest form is an enemy to righteousness 
and temperance. The only Americans in the city (Detroit) were a 
few traders, whose antipathy to religion was proverbial. When I 
arrived, Generals Harrison, Brown and Cass were holding confer- 
ences with the Indians, preparatory to a general treaty of peace. 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 59 

The garrison consisted of a large number of soldiers. In this state 
of society but little impression could be made by a sermon once in 
three weeks. True, the Council House, a large and commodious 
building, was always filled with attentive auditors — the superior offi- 
cers setting a decorous example by their uniform presence and 
respectful attention. But in my hurried rounds on a three weeks' 
circuit, traveling some three hundred miles, my stay in Detroit was 
necessarily so short that I could not follow up to any extent, by 
pastoral visitation, any impression that might have been made by 
the labor of the pulpit." 

It will be seen, hereafter, that it was a great mistake and a sad 
misfortune to our cause — the cause of religion — that more concen- 
trated labor was noc bestowed on the City of Detroit at that time. 
But Methodists have not even yet learned much wisdom, in this 
respect, from the losses of the past. The fact is, a Metdodist 
preacher's heart is so overflowing with benevolence and so burdened 
with desire for the immediate salvation of sinners, that he finds it 
exceedingly difficult to turn away from the call of any destitute 
place. The circuits had to be so constituted as to supply as 
many of these places as possible. In this way they have pioneered 
most of the new country, and have, too often, left many of the grow- 
ing towns to be occupied by others. Such was the case with 
Detroit. Either the ultimate importance of the place was not per- 
ceived or it was not regarded. Perhaps this is not much to be 
wondered at, after all. 

The souls of the people scattered through the country were 
valuable, to be sure; but, then, it is right to have an eye to the great- 
est amount of good ultimately, and to concentrate labor at the 
centers of influence. Every one knows that important towns exert 
a wide influence over a large extent of country ; and that the power 
of a religious denomination for good is, to a considerable extent, 
dependent on its position in such towns. The reason of this is so 
patent that it is not necessary to say anything more about it. Many 
have thought that the Methodist economy was not adapted to large 
towns and cities. They have confounded policy with polity, that is 
all. And herein lies their mistake : for the doctrines of Methodism 
can be just as well appreciated in cities as in the country, and its 
earnest ministry is just as valuable for the one as the other. But by 
this disregard for the ultimate good they have so failed, in many 
instances, to meet the wishes of the people as to the frequency of 
services, that they have turned their attention in some other direction 
for a supply, and when they have waked up to the matter the people 



<6o HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

have become so bound to others that, though they would have pre- 
ferred their ministry, they have not been able to call them back, and 
the Methodists have had to occupy a secondary position. People in 
towns and cities will not be satisfied with only occasional services; 
and if they cannot be supplied by the denomination which they 
would have preferred, they will take up with such as they can get. 

We know it may be said, in palliation of this blunder, that they 
had but few members upon whom a minister might depend for a 
support. But cannot a Methodist minister live where any other 
minister can? Take this very case: Mr. Hickox might have secured, 
at once, the whole of the people that would have given any support 
to any one — we mean the Protestant portion — because General Cass, 
who was the Territorial Governor, and others in authority gave him 
a cordial welcome and attended his ministry whenever he came, and 
of course, would not then have thought of looking for any other if 
he could have supplied them every Sabbath; and would have sup- 
ported him too, at least as well as he was supported on the whole 
Circuit, as he had the entire ground for one year. But the desire "to 
possess all the land that joins," led him to give them services only 
;once in three weeks, and as he said, not following up the labors of 
the Sabbath by mingling with the people during the week, all or 
nearly all the labor was lost ; and when another came and offered 
to supply them more frequently, he gathered them around him. 
We do not intend to censure Mr. Hickox, because he was only car- 
rying out what was then the policy of the Church. If he had adopt- 
ed a different line of policy he would have been censured by his 
superiors in office, as wishing to escape from the hard service of visit- 
ing the sparse settlements. The same line of policy is still pursued, 
to a certain extent. The Rev. Alfred Brunson, who was appointed 
to Detroit Circuit in 1822, was the first who ventured to change the 
policy in regard to the City of Detroit. He concentrated his labor 
xiere and left the care of the Circuit chiefly to his colleague. This 
was the beginning of a new era for Methodism in this city, and if it 
had only been properly carried out afterwards it would have been 
better for their cause. 

The next summer after Mr. Hickox came— that is, in Jnne, 181 6, 
— a Presbyterian minister came and settled himself down among the 
people and proposed supplying them every Sabbath, and even 
wished and attempted to crowd Mr. Hickox out from the third Sab- 
bath in the evening, as we shall see after a little. He was sent out 
under the auspices of the Board of the General Assembly of the 
Presbyterian Church. The result of his coming, with the proposition 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 6 1 

to supply them constantly was that the people, not sympathizing 
with the policy of leaving them two-thirds of the time, in order to 
supply other places, gave their support to the new comer, and he 
organized a Society — not a Church — composed of persons of all the. 
different Protestant creeds in the place. This they did, notwithstand- 
ing they would have much preferred Mr. Hickox if they could have, 
had his services. Had the Methodist Missionary adopted the same 
course the first year he was here he might have secured all this, 
which would have given the Methodists such a position that nothing; 
but the veriest recreancy to their trust could ever have placed them 
in a secondary position in this community. Another error in policy 
prevailed in the Methodist Church at that day, which at a subsequent 
period nearly destroyed what interest they had gained in this city; 
that is, the location of their churches. It was thought they must be 
located out of the town, or at least on the outskirts, so as to be out of 
the noise and bustle of business. But it is useless to speculate 
about these things now, as that cannot retrieve their losses, and we 
have introduced these thoughts here simply for the purpose of leav- 
ing on record our views of such a policy, and with the faint hope 
that they may contribute a little to encourage a different course of 
operation in new places that are yet to spring up. We should con- 
centrate efforts at the centers of influence, and locate our churches 
in the midst of the people and not hide them away as if we were 
ashamed to have the people find them. 

We have now fully introduced our missionary to the notice of 
the reader in connection with the field of his operations, and must 
resume the chain of history. Having gone up and inspected the 
walls, he set himself at work to rebuild. What a prospect ! A lone 
workman, and such a vast work before him ! But he knew in whom 
he trusted. He was able in a short time to gather in the few who 
had been members prior to the war, and a few joined anew. The 
work accomplished this year was that the stakes were stuck, the 
work was marked out, and the few lay-helpers to be found were ar- 
ranged so as to operate in concert for the advancement of the great 
cause. Some of the members of the Church having their residence 
on the Rouge, they had a place of meeting there, about six miles out 
of the city; yet not to the abandonment of the city, for Mr. Hickox 
preached in the city on Sabbath evenings, once in three weeks. He 
ought to have concentrated all the time for Sabbath services in the 
city. In like manner, when it was determined to build a church it 
was located on the River Rouge, instead of in v the city. This was 
another great error. 



62 HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

Mr. Hickox at the close of this year reported one hundred and 
forty members for Detroit Circuit, at the Conference which met at 
Paris, Canada, July 17th, 181 6 ; but most of these were in Canada. 
At this Conference he was returned to Detroit Circuit, and labored 
faithfully for another year, and with encouraging success ; so much so 
that he reported thirty members for Detroit — that is, for Michigan — 
the members on the Canada side having been attached to the Thames 
Circuit. This is the first report which gives us the definite numbers 
in Michigan. The preaching places in Michigan, for the two years in 
which Mr. Hickox traveled the Circuit, were Detroit City, River 
Rouge, and French Town, now Monroe. This latter place, he says, 
was a field ripe for the harvest but it was forty miles distant from the 
other appointments, and a horrible road must be passed over twice 
through a lonely wilderness to supply it ; and the missionary being 
obliged generally to leave his horse on the Canada side, on account 
of the difficulty of ferriage, he could only visit it occasionally. Hence 
the harvest could not be gathered. Mr. Hickox states that in 1822, 
after his location, he went there to attend a quarterly meeting with 
Rev. John P. Kent, at which time a gracious revival occurred and a 
large class was formed — large for the times. This class met princi- 
pally a little above the present site of the town. As these were the 
only points at which the Americans had made settlements, the work 
could not extend further in Michigan. Happy would it have been 
for the Methodist cause if he and his successors had confined their 
labors to these points. This, however, would have been so much in 
contravention of the spirit of the times that it would not have been 
tolerated at all. 

Although not in the direct line of Michigan Protestantism, we 
shall be pardoned for giving some notice of the trials and successes 
of our missionary on the other side of the Detroit River, especially 
as these were passed through and accomplished in connection with 
his efforts to establish and advance the cause on this side. The 
account is given in his own words : 

" As I passed through the adjacent parts of Canada, it pleased 
the Lord to follow the Word with such power that the people were 
strongly aroused to a consideration of their spiritual interests, and 
flocked to the places of meeting, on week days as well as on Sun- 
days. This provoked some of the more respectable British sin- 
ners, and they accused me of being a disturber of the peace. This 
was so soon after the war that civil government was not yet re- 
established, and the country was under martial law. Col. James was 
then in command near Sandwich, and seemed to have jurisdiction 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 6 



J 



along the lines. To him the gentry complained of me as a sort of 
spy, and he issued orders to have me arrested and brought before 
him. Havincr obtained information of this movement, it seemed to 
me to be most prudent to anticipate an arrest ; so, mounting my 
horse, I rode in haste to his quarters before my whereabouts could 
be discovered. By the advice of friends, I had worn the sash of a 
British officer, which gave me immunity when among the crowds of 
Indians that beset my way. When the attendants of the Colonel 
saw this, they supposed me to be somebody of importance. They 
held my horse and stirrups, and helped me to dismount. The Colo- 
nel himself, misled by this, came to the piazza, received me with the 
utmost courtesy, and showed me into his best room. 

" I opened the matter by saying, 'Col. James, I suppose I am the 
man you want to see.' 

'" What is your name?' he asked. 

" 'Joseph Hickox,' I replied. 'I am a Methodist preacher doing 
the work of a missionary through this country, trying to promote 
peace among men. I have been told you are opposed to this, and I 
have called to find out the reason.' 

"He was taken all aback by the announcement, and looked 
blank. But soon rallying, he said politely that he had no objections 
to anything of that nature that I could do, but wished me all success 
and promised me the freedom of the country." 

This incident was only characteristic of the tact and shrewdness 
of the man. This element of character fitted him well for the times, 
and demonstrated the sagacity of Bishop McKendree, who made 
the appointment. He succeeded in forming several new Societies 
in Canada, but as these are not in the line of our History, no 
further mention will be made of them. As we have already sug- 
gested, the rides and labors of the missionary to fulfill the duties 
connected with Detroit Circuit for these two years were very 
fatiguing and excessive. The reader will understand this better 
by a reference to some facts. Three times every three weeks he 
had to pass through a wilderness of fifty '-seven miles without human 
habitation, and to swim his horse five times each trip. In the winter, 
when the clumsy ferry boats were stopped, he had to leave his horse 
on the Canada side and to walk up and down the Detroit River, 
seeking the strongest ice. Sometimes he was obliged to jump from 
cake to cake of broken ice, and to leap over wide fissures, in order 
to get to and from Detroit. But God gave him grace to meet all 
these difficulties and preserved him in the midst of these dangers, 



64 HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

and made him happy as he passed through and triumphed over 
them. We have these statements from his own pen. 

At the end of his first year Mr. Hickox makes the following- 
very appropriate reflections: " When the chaotic state of the country, 
and the multitudes who are perishing for lack of knowledge, are 
considered, the privilege of preaching the world-wide Gospel and a 
free salvation is so great that the labor and danger of doing so 
sink into insignificance, and the remembrance of that work is full of 
sweetness to me." He adds, "It was no small thing to ride a thous- 
and miles to and from conference." That is very true ; besides, the 
journey had to be made on horseback. 

During the second year that Mr. Hickox remained on this Circuit 
the difficulties of traveling were somewhat removed, as the country 
was slowly recovering from the disasters of the war — immigration 
had begun to set in, in this direction, and some improvements were 
made, as also some other advantages were secured. All the while 
of his first year he had been a solitary watchman — beyond the hail 
of any other — and had all the labor and responsibility to himself. 
During the time of his absence from Detroit attending the Confer- 
ence, a Presbyterian minister appeared at Detroit, whom Mr. Hickox 
found on his return, as he hoped, to share the responsibility of 
holding forth the word of life to an ungodly city, and to be a fellow- 
laborer — a helper in the Christian work. 

This was the first introduction of Presbyterian preaching into 
Detroit. This was in June, 1816. He was a well educated young 
man, and gentlemanly in his manners. These two young men soon 
formed a very pleasant acquaintance, which, however, was interrupted 
in a short time, very unexpectedly to the Methodist Missionary. 
The circumstances of the interruption were these, as related to the 
writer by Mr. Hickox himself: Henry Ryan, the Presiding Elder of 
the District, had preached to a large congregation in the Council 
House. Rev. John Monteith, the Presbyterian minister was present. 
After the sermon he was introduced to the Presiding Elder, where- 
upon the usual social greetings were exchanged; after which Mr. 
Hickox remarked: "Mr. Monteith, after you preach, a week from 
next Sabbath, will you be good enough to give out my appointment 
for evening worship, to refresh the minds of the people?" "I don't 
know how that will be," said he, stiffly. "I have an appointment at 
that hour, myself; and I want you to change your time of preaching 
to some week-day evening." 

Mr. Ryan said, "Brother Hickox, probably you had better 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 65 

remove your appointment to some week evening, to make all things 
smooth." 

To this proposition Mr. Hickox very justly responded: "Brother 
Ryan, I have been preaching here for a year past, every three weeks, 
before any other preacher came here. I think it ungenerous to ask 
me to change, when Mr. Monteith has all the time to himself except one 
Sabbath night in three weeks. I cannot consent to change." He ought 
to have changed so as to have preached in Detroit every Sabbath. 

"Act your pleasure," said Brother Ryan. "I don't wish to dic- 
tate." He ought to have stood up for his preacher. Instead of 
advising him to yield, he ought to have encouraged him to hold on, 
and to have rebuked the other sharply for his assumption. 

This occurrence was so public that the difficulty became gener- 
ally known — the feelings of the people became interested to see how 
the thing would terminate. The consequence of this interest was, 
that the house was unusually crowded when Mr Hickox arrived. 
Mr. Monteith had reached the house before him and occupied the 
desk. When Mr. Hickox came in the following colloquy occurred : 

Mr. Hickox — "Mr. Monteith, do you expect to preach to-night?" 

Mr. M. (very short and pettishly) — "I do. I do." 

Mr. H. — " Very well. I shall preach after you have done." 

Mr. M. preached. After the sermon and prayer the conversa- 
tion was resumed. 

Mr. H. — " I wish you would omit singing and I will preach." 

Mr. M. — "I don't think the people will be willing to hear you." 

M. H.— "I will ask them." 

He immediately stepped into the desk and told the congregation 
the reason of his being prevented from preaching, and said if they 
would remain in their seats he would then give them a sermon. 

Mr. M. — " I will leave the desk, then." 

Mr. H. — "Act your pleasure. The desk is large enough for us 
both." 

The congregation having signified their desire to hear him 
by remaining quiet, Mr. Hickox gave them a sermon, during the 
delivery of which they preserved perfect quiet and gave undivided 
attention to him. When he had finished, he announced that in three 
weeks from that time he would preach there again, according to his 
established custom. " I occupy this house by the permission of the 
Governor. When that permission is withdrawn I shall leave, and 
not before." 

Mr. Monteith, who had remained, replied : " The Governor 
will not have the impoliteness to tell you to withdraw your appoint- 



66 HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

ments." To which Mr. Hickox responded : "If the Governor will 
tolerate you in making appointments in opposition to mine and in 
refusing me the pulpit when mine become due, it is all I ask. The 
same authority that admitted me here is necessary to exclude me 
from the place." 

Mr. M., in a somewhat subdued tone, and as if he wished to 
drop the matter and had laid aside his assumption, said: "Your 
manner of preaching is so different from mine. You can preach 
extempore ; I cannot. You can get a congregation at any time, at 
three hours' notice. So I thought you might change your time 
to a week evening, and give me the advantage of all the Sabbath 
services. " 

Mr. Hickox then told him that he could not comply with his 
wishes without deranging the whole plan of his Circuit labor; and the 
Circuit being very extensive, this would be very difficult to do. The 
congregation waited very patiently until the parley was over, and, as 
might have been expected, much prejudice was created against the 
mistaken man, in consequence of his course, and sympathy was 
raised in favor of Mr. Hickox. No further attempt was made to 
drive the missionary from this part of the field. The above circum- 
stances occurred during the early part of the second year that Mr. 
Hickox was appointed to the Detroit Circuit. 

In late autumn or early winter of the second year the Methodist 
Missionary was much comforted, not exactly " by the coming of 
Titus," but by the coming of Rev. Joseph Mitchell, a venerable local 
preacher of very popular talents. This Mr. Mitchell must not be 
confounded with William Mitchell who was here in 1810, and organ- 
ized the first Society, or Church. Joseph Mitchell was a great and 
useful pioneer of Methodism in different parts of the Western country. 
The crossing of Detroit River in the winter being attended with 
great difficulty and danger, Mr. Hickox confined his labors principally 
to the Canada side, and gave up the city work mainly to Mr. Mit- 
chell. The latter soon became very popular among the people, and 
it seemed as if he would carry everything before him. He ought to 
have remained much longer than he did, and to have gathered in the 
fruits of his labors and concentrated the Methodistic strength in the 
city ; for although he dealt very plainly with the people, they loved 
him. His great popularity aroused the jealous indignation of the 
Rev. Mr. M., the opponent of Mr. Hickox, so that he thought he 
must be put down, and thought he would try it, not having learned 
wisdom from his former defeat. 

Mr. M. called to see the venerable Mr. Mitchell, when the fol- 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 6j 

lowing conversation took place. The conversation is given as nar- 
rated by Mr. Mitchell himself: 

Mr. M. asked Mr. Mitchell, " Have you ever been to college?" 

Mr. Mitchell responded, " I have been past a college." 

Again Mr. M. said, " I wish to make an agreement with you 
not to preach doctrines." 

Mr. Mitchell replied, "What! Not to preach the doctrines of 
Methodism! I am bound to preach them, for I believe every tittle of 
them to be true. Not to preach against Calvinism! That I am under 
the necessity of doing, for I believe it to be an erroneous system of 
doctrines." 

Mr. Mitchell was a great opposer of Calvinism. This ended 
the colloquy, and the divine went away discomfited and unsatisfied. 
He had set his trap, but it would not spring as he wanted it to do. 
We are sorry to say that this same spirit characterized this same 
gentleman for many years after. He never succeeded in acquiring 
much love for Methodism. 

We are indebted to Mr. Hickox for the following incident illus- 
trative of Father Mitchell's manner and influence in the pulpit. On 
a certain occasion, the Council House was crowded, as indeed it gen- 
erally was on Sunday. The Governor, and all the civil and military 
officers and men of note were present. The preachers theme was, 
the necessity of the new birth. In the warmth of his application, 
with finger pointing with significant force, and eyes fixed upon the 
persons addressed, he cried out, "You, Governor! you, lawyers! you, 
judges! you, doctors! you must be converted and born again, or 
God will damn you as soon as the beggar on the dung hill." Deep 
silence prevailed, and a lasting impression was made. Some of the 
timid ones feared they would be offended. 

The next morning Governor Cass sent him a complimentary 
note, containing five dollars, saying it was the best sermon he ever 
heard. Such was the position of Protestantism in Michigan, in the 
spring of 1 817. It is unaccountable to us that this was not followed 
up, so as absolutely to have taken the City of Detroit for Christ. It 
is true, they had to contend against great immorality, but the wicked 
were held in awe. The people would have given the ministers a 
good support ; and if these heavy blows, dealt out by such hands as 
Father Mitchell's, had been repeated a little longer, and the ends 
tied up well, by gathering the people into the Church, there might 
have been raised up such a Society as would, always afterwards, have 
held the commanding position in the place. Indeed, it is probable 
the people would have become so thoroughly Methodized, that they 



68 HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

would not have thought of looking for any other Church for many 
years. Not only did the interests of Methodism demand this atten- 
tion, but the cause of God as well ; for the whole people were then 
so moved that a little more would have led them to a happy ex- 
perience of divine grace. 

Rev. Mr. Monteith commenced his labors in Detroit, as before 
stated, on the 6th of June, 1816, and the next year he succeeded in 
the organization of a Society, not a Church, entitled " The First 
Evangelistic Society," made up of persons of the Protestant faith, 
without reference to their Church predilections, for the support of 
the Gospel. They would have given their support to a Methodist 
preacher just as soon as to any other, if they could have had his 
services. Subsequently a petition was presented to the Governor 
and judges for a lot to be granted for a Protestant Church, which 
grant was not perfected till in 1825. It will, perhaps, be recollected 
that when the city was destroyed by fire, in 1805, Congress donated 
about ten thousand acres of land to the city as a relief fund, which in- 
cluded the city location, and that this land, upon a portion of which 
the city was laid out, was at the disposal of the Legislative Council 
of the Territory, which at that time consisted of the Governor 
and judges. Hence the application to them for a church lot. Their 
petition was not immediately granted, but in 18 19, in accordance 
with said petition, land was granted on the east side of Woodward 
Avenue, extending from Larned street to within about sixty feet of 
Congress street. The deed for this was not granted till in December, 
1825. Not long after the grant, and before the deed was executed, 
a small house of worship was built on the lot, by the contributions 
of all, and it was intended as common property. In a few years, 
however, the Presbyterians having obtained a controlling influence in 
the Society, now called " The First Protestant Society," this house 
and all the lands were voted to their exclusive use, and the Metho- 
dists, who had contributed their full proportion towards the erection of 
the house, were left to find a place of worship where they could. 
" The First Protestant Society," now become Presbyterian, finally 
relinquished a narrow strip of this land, on the north side, to the 
Protestant Episcopal Church, on which they erected a small church, 
which remained till the spring of 1 844. 

A Presbyterian Church was not organized in Detroit till 1825, 
but Mr. Monteith continued his labors among the people until 1822, 
when his relation was dissolved. The Presbyterians seem not to 
have had any regular pastor until the Church was organized, in 1825, 
when Rev. Noah M. Wells came and served for several years. 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 69 

After this little digression, we return to the regular line of our 
History. Such was the position and influence of Messrs. Hickox 
and Mitchell that, if they had followed up the labors they had be- 
stowed and the impressions they had made, by devoting their time to 
the place and by mingling freely with the people, they might have 
t possessed the entire ground for many years. Mr. Mitchell left in the 
spring. Why he did not remain longer cannot now be ascertained. 
Probably his business demanded his attention elsewhere. Mr. 
Hickox felt himself in duty bound to travel his large Circuit, and so 
let the advantage slip away. 

The Genesee Conference held its session in Elizabethtown, Can- 
ada, commencing June 21st, 181 7, at which time Gideon Laning, a 
young and active minister, though married, was appointed to Detroit 
Circuit. Mr. Laning's labors were somewhat interrupted by sickness, 
but he did what he could and was assisted by Thomas Harmon, a 
local preacher, who took the principal charge of the erection of the 
log church on the Rouge, which was built this year. At the end of 
the year, when he numbered the hosts of Israel under his charge, 
he found he had gained ten, and return ^.A forty members of Society. 

There was nothing out of the ordinary course of events that 
occurred this year to be worthy of special record, except the build- 
ing of the church, noticed elsewhere. The usual labor, toil and suf- 
fering accompanied the pathway of the lonely itinerant. God gave 
him some success, for which all devout hearts will praise Him. 

Mr. Harmon, above referred to, was a Canadian, and had been 
an active and efficient soldier in the then late war. He had fought 
hard against the Americans. Mr. Ryan, the Presiding Elder, employed 
him contrary to the advice of William Case. He was not very 
well liked as a preacher, yet he was active in building that log church. 
As the whole Circuit was among Americans, it did not seem exactly 
right or well to employ one who had fought against them to preach 
to them ; yet he did well, on the whole. He was a rough, bold, fear- 
less kind of a man. He returned to Canada, and disappears from 
our sight. 

Alpheus Davis, a young man, succeeded Mr. Laning, and faith- 
fully performed the work assigned him, for one year. He received 
his appointment to this lonely Circuit at the session of the Genesee 
Conference, which met at Lansing, Cayuga County, New York, July 
1 6th, 1 81 8. At the close of the year, he returned only thirty mem- 
bers, having lost just the number that Mr. Laning had gained the 
year previous. We are to judge of the progress of the work, ordi- 
narily, by the numbers returned ; and yet, this is often fallacious : 



JO HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

for there may be such a condition of things that a decrease of num- 
bers would really give strength to the cause. Again, without any 
increase in numbers, there may be a deepening and growing spirit- 
uality in the existing membership, which is of the greatest value to 
the cause. 

Next in the order of laborers was Truman Dixon. The Gen- 
esee Conference held its session at Vienna, Ontario County, New 
York, July ist, 1819. It was here he received his commission to this 
isolated field. He came, labored, suffered, triumphed and returned 
to his Conference, making a report of sixty-six members in Church 
fellowship. This was a great apparent increase of the work. He 
must have included some Societies in Canada. However this might 
be, it was cause of devout thanksgiving to the great Head of the 
Church. We rejoice in the conversion of sinners in any place, but 
as we are chronicling the progress of Protestantism in Michigan we 
cannot set down the number as much exceeding thirty — perhaps 
it may have been forty, for Michigan. This will close the nar- 
rative for our second period. Mr. Dixon was the last minister 
who was appointed from the Genesee Conference ; for by act of the 
General Conference, held in May, 1820, Michigan was attached to 
the Ohio Conference, and henceforth is to be supplied from that direc- 
tion. We must now bid adieu to Genesee, and make our respect- 
ful salutation to Ohio. 

From the close of the war, in 181 5, until July 20th, 1820, this 
field had been cultivated by laborers from the Genesee Conference. 
They found the work in a chaotic state, but through their labor it had 
been arranged into a good degree of order, and some ripe fruit had 
been already gathered. But now a change of relation is to take 
place, for in May of this year Michigan was attached to the Ohio 
Conference. The change produced a slight shock, as will be seen, 
because the next report gives a decrease of members, as will appear 
in the next period. William Case was the Presiding Elder for the 
first year of this period, and Henry Ryan for the other four. We 
may seem to have blamed the men appointed to this field, for not 
bestowing more labor on Detroit; but perhaps there is no blame, for 
at this period there was no appreciation of the value of Michigan. 
The country had been reported to the General Government as being 
not worth surveying, and Detroit was nearly all there was of Michi- 
gan of any value, and that was but a small town. 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 



CHAPTER IV. 

Joseph Hickox — Gideon Laning — Alpheus Davis — Truman Dixon — The Log Meeting-House — 

Joseph Hanchett — Note. 

ERE seems to be the most appropriate place to furnish a 
short account of Rev. Joseph Hickox, whose name stands 
at the head of this period. He was born near Hartford, 
(3^rmS ^?e) Connecticut, August 20th, 1 788, so that at the time of his 
Q/ $y "^ death, in 1867, he was seventy-nine years old. His 
parents were of "the standing order," that is, they were Con- 
gregationalists of the old school. As a consequence, he was 
thoroughly instructed in the doctrines of the Church — that is, Cal- 
vinism of the old stamp — and in the external duties of a Christian 
. life. During his early youth he was often the subject of gracious 
impressions. These impressions were as often set aside by rebellion, 
and the Spirit was grieved away. When about fifteen years of age, 
he heard the first Methodist preacher, who visited the neighborhood 
where he resided — at least he was the first of whom he had any 
knowledge. His name was Richard Lyon, as he stated. This Mr. 
Lyon was admitted into the traveling connection in 1797, and located 
in i3o8. It was, probably, during the year 1804 that he preached 
there. He was appointed to Bristol Circuit in 1797. Mr. Hickox's 
mother was very unwilling to let him go to hear this Methodist 
preacher, fearing lest he should imbibe pernicious doctrines, accord- 
ing to the belief of that day. He, however, did go, and his mother 
finally went with him. Having always heard sermons read, it seemed 
to him very remarkable that a man could preach such a discourse 
without his manuscript. The preacher set forth very impressively 
the universality of the atonement, and very touchingly exhibited the 
guilt of the sinner in not accepting its provisions at once. The peo- 
ple assembled were fairly electrified with the doctrines they heard, 
and our lad among the rest. The preacher followed up the impres- 
sions he had made by visiting from house to house, exhorting, and 



72 HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

praying with the people. As is usual in connection with such labors, 
there was a very gracious revival in the place, and very soon a large 
Society was raised up. Young Hickox's mother was one of them. 
Her fears in regard to the perniciousness of Methodist doctrines had 
all subsided. Under the advice of Mr. Lyon, young Hickox was 
induced to begin a religious life in earnest, and sought reconciliation 
with God. He continued to seek, with varying constancy, for some 
time, without obtaining any evidence of pardon. At length he was 
led to forsake all for Christ, and obtained in the following year the 
peace of reconciliation. We will now give his own language, as 
descriptive of his state, resulting from his full devotion to Christ. 
He says : " My peace was unruffled, and the exercises of my mind 
were as clear as human consciousness could be. Jesus was 'my joy 
and my song,' not only by day, but in the night watches." His ex- 
perience was very clear and glorious. He knew that his Redeemer 
lived. By faith the blood of atonement had been applied to his con- 
science. His " peace was like a river." 

While but a youth, the Church saw fit to lay upon him the re- 
sponsibiliy of leading a class, and gave him license to exhort. Soon 
an inward conviction of duty to preach came to him, and this was 
followed by the urgent request of the brethren. This is usually the 
order. When a man is called of God to the work of the ministry, 
the Church, or at least some of the Church, feel the conviction of his 
call nearly simultaneously with himself. As is common, he now had 
a struggle. On the one hand was his own inward consciousness of 
duty, and the convictions of the Church ; on the other, was the sense 
of his inability. The latter produced a hesitancy which occasioned 
much anxiety, accompanied with great loss to his peace of mind. His 
life was much troubled on account of this struggle, but his convic- 
tion of duty did not abate in its force. At last, with many fears and 
much reluctance, he consented to receive license as a local preacher, 
which was signed by Rev. William Case, the Presiding Elder, with 
the understanding that he was to enter the itinerancy. After a brief 
service with what he calls "the militia," — that is, as a local preacher 
— he was received into the Genesee Conference as a traveling 
preacher, at the session held at Niagara, in Canada, beginning July 
23d, 1 81 2. He was appointed as junior preacher, with James H. 
Baker, on the Shamokin Circuit, in Pennsylvania. 

The next year he was appointed in charge of Canaan Circuit, 
in Pennsylvania, and the year following he was appointed in charge 
of St. Lawrence Circuit, in New York. On Canaan Circuit he had 
a glorious revival at every appointment — many were converted and 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 73 

added to the Church. On St. Lawrence he had but little success, as 
the people along the border were in such an unsettled state, on ac- 
count of the war, that they gave but little attention to the preaching 
of the word of life. These last two years he had the same colleague. 
His name was Robert Manshall. 

This brings us down to the period when he becomes identified 
with the fortunes and interests of Protestantism in Michigan ; for, 
at a session of the Genesee Conference held at Lyons, New York, 
beginning June 29th, 181 5, he was appointed to Detroit — a place 
which had been uncared for and unsupplied ever since the beginning 
of the war. Detroit and its vicinity had been the great focus of 
operations during the war of 181 2, and was, therefore, the theater of 
much strife and carnage. Although the city itself was ingloriously 
surrendered by General Hull, without firing a single gun, the honor 
of American arms had been amply retrieved by Commodore Perry 
on the lake below, and by General Harrison on the Thames. The 
strife and smoke of the battlefield had scarcely cleared away when 
the missionary of peace comes in the name of the Prince of Peace, 
to bring to the people the gospel of their salvation. It is an advent- 
urous enterprise, to be attended with much toil and suffering but to 
be crowned with success. 

How delightful it is to turn away from the scenes of strife, con- 
fusion and blood, which have so recently been enacted on this 
ground, to a contemplation of the fruits of righteousness brought in 
by the introduction of the gospel of peace among them. One 
would have supposed that the people would have received the glad 
message of love, which was now to be offered to them, with one 
general acclaim of joy; but, alas! for them, some were so wedded to 
the superstitions of Romanism, and others were so attached to their 
worldly pleasures, that little heed was given to his message. Still 
he found " a few names even in Detroit, who had not defiled their 
garments." Of these few we have before given some account. 

After this digression we must return to Mr. Hickox. At the 
expiration of his two years of probation — that is, in 1814 — he was 
admitted into full connection with the Conference, and ordained a 
deacon ; and now, because he was to be sent as a missionary to this 
frontier work, he was ordained an Elder, one year in advance of the 
regular time — that is, in 181 5 — at the end of three years. What an 
undertaking! All pleasing associations were to be left behind, and 
he was to go among strangers, far from his Christian and ministerial 
brethren, to encounter various dangers and sufferings. He was, in 
fact, to plunge into the wilderness, not knowing among whom his lot 



74 HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

should be cast. He, however, faltered not. What were the worldly 
inducements to the adoption of this course? He was allowed to re- 
ceive one hundred dollars per annum, provided the people saw fit to 
give it to him. This was all. What a salary for such a service! Who, 
not moved by the Holy Ghost to the work of the ministry, would under- 
take it? Long and fatiguing rides were to be performed on horse- 
back ; storms were to be breasted ; rivers and smaller streams were 
to be forded and swum ; lodgings were to be found in rude log 
cabins, and sometimes with ruder people ; the chilling blasts of win- 
ter were to be encountered ; various and appalling dangers were to 
be met and passed ; and all for one hundred dollars per year, and 
that by no means certain. Could that be any inducement for a man 
to adopt that course of life! Certainly not. But he was moved by 
the Holy Ghost to preach the Gospel to these people, living in these 
remote regions, secluded from religious services, and he cheerfully 
obeyed, " not counting his life dear to himself," if he could win them 
to Christ. 

The Conference, as we have already said, held its session at 
Lyons, New York. This was the second time it met at this place. 
Bishop McKendree, of precious memory, presided. 

Inasmuch as Mr. Hickox was going to a distant and wild por- 
tion of the country, it was thought necessary to give him a certificate 
explanatory of his mission. He received the following, in the hand- 
writing of Joshua Soule, who was then General Book Steward, and 
signed by Bishop McKendree : 

" To ALL WHOM IT MAY CONCERN I 

"This is to certify that I, William McKendree, one of the bishops of the 
Methodist Episcopal Church in the United States, have appointed Rev. 
Joseph Hickox to the station of Detroit and the contiguous parts of the 
country. Done at the Genesee Annual Conference, held at Lyons, in the 
State of New York, July 24th, 1815. 

"WILLIAM McKENDREE." 

This paper, which was well worn and brown with age, he re- 
tained and preserved while he lived, as a relic of past days. Of the 
ordination parchments which he received, he makes the following- 
quaint remarks : " My ordination parchments were types of the 
times. Itinerants were then obliged to live much in the saddle, and 
wardrobe, books and papers must take the smallest possible dimen- 
sions for portability. Hence my parchments were somewhat smaller 
than a modern funeral note, being two and three-quarters by five 
inches, with an old-fashioned border like love-feast tickets. In our 
long rides we could have made no more use of the larger and more 
elegant ones now in use than of a Byronic shirt collar." 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. J$ 

Mr. Hickox was directed to take into his Circuit, Detroit and 
the few settlements contiguous to it. The two on the rivers R.ouge 
and Raisin, were the principal in Michigan. On the Canada side of 
the river it was to include Maiden, Sandwich, the new settlement 
down the lake about sixty miles below Detroit, and the River 
Thames. We have now given an outline of this Circuit of olden 
times. If, however, one wishes to get an accurate view of it, let him 
take a map, note the distances of the localities from each other, and 
then let him call to mind the fact that the country was all new, and 
that there were none of the facilities for travel which are now so 
common, but that the roads were unwrought, the streams unbridged 
— that the roads were, in fact, only trails, having none of the charac- 
teristics of a road made by the hand of civilization. Having now 
introduced Mr. Hickox to the country, we will finish our running 
sketch of his character, leaving the filling up to be made from his 
relation to the work in its more minute details. He occupied this 
wild, uncultivated field for two years, performing faithfully his 
rounds, and gathering into the fold the few Christians he could 
find. In Michigan, when he first arrived, he only found seven 
who professed to be pious, having the Bible, and not the dogmas 
of the priests for their guide. There doubtless were some others, 
of other denominations in the City of Detroit, who professed to 
be Christians. The number was increased during his stay, so that 
at the end of the first year, including those in Canada — which, by 
the way, were more than those on this side — he returned one hundred 
and forty members ; and at the end of the next year he returned 
thirty members for Michigan. This was in July, 1817. 

Having completed his disciplinary term on this Circuit, he was 
sent, in 181 7, to Litchfield Circuit, on the Mowhawk River, among 
the Dutch. Here his labors were abundantly blest in turning many 
from sin to holiness. The following year — that is, in 1 8 1 8 — he was 
sent to Ancaster Circuit, Canada. This was, also, a year of prosper- 
ity. Many were added to the Church. Perhaps the value of the 
work this year did not depend so much on the number of persons 
converted, as in their character and relations. Among the converts 
this year was Peter Jones, an Indian, who subsequently became so 
much noted for his successful labors among the Grand River Indians 
in Canada — whose name stands so deservedly high in the annals of 
Canadian Methodism. Mr. Hickox was, probably, the first Methodist 
preacher he ever heard, and "the sword of the Spirit," wielded by 
him, pierced the heart of the barbarian, transforming him after the 
image of Christ. He became a Christian minister, and was the in- 



76 HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

strument of saving many others. We have this statement from the 
pen of Mr. Hickox, although Dr. Webster in his " History of the 
Methodist Episcopal Church in Canada," places his conversion in 
June, 1824. We cannot decide between them. 

At the Conference of 181 9, Mr. Hickox was sent to the Thames 
Circuit. This was a part of his old field — that is, it formed a part of 
Detroit Circuit, when he traveled that. Here, in 181 6, he had mar- 
ried a wife. During this year his wife was very sick for most of the 
time, so that he could not bestow more than half work on his Circuit. 
His wife continuing very feeble, and as it was feared she was in a 
consumptive decline, after having considered the matter, and having 
•consulted his Presiding Elder, it seemed to him to be his duty to 
"locate — to settle down. So at the session of the Genesee Confer- 
ence, for 1820, he asked for and obtained a location. 

When he was first in Michigan he entered a tract of land on 
the River Rouge, about sixteen miles from Detroit. He now re- 
moved his family to this new farm, and became fully identified with 
Michigan and Protestantism in it. Here he resided until 1836, when 
'he removed to Illinois and settled not far from Rockford, where he 
resided till 1866, living in hope of the rest of the saints in light. 

We have now run rapidly through his itinerant life, but cannot 
close without a further estimate of his abilities and character. He 
possessed a high order of talent, connected with indomitable perse- 
verance and an ardent zeal for the cause of God. Bishop McKendree 
re-appointed him to Detroit Mission, in 181 6, remarking at the same 
time that no other man could be found who would endure so much 
hard service. It has always been the policy of the Methodist Epis- 
copal Church to assign the hardest and severest labors to those who 
were the most cheerful to perform them. Whether this policy is cor- 
rect or just, we do not stop now to consider. But as the ministry is a 
voluntary thing — that is, we cannot compel men to enter and remain 
in it, it could not very well be avoided. Mr. Hickox was a man of 
great tact and shrewdness, as some of the incidents heretofore related 
will show. It is much to be regretted that in his case, as in many 
others, when men have located, his piety and usefulness were not 
uniform. Still, he at all times retained his relation to the Church and 
continued to have an unabated interest in its welfare. The inference 
from this is that a man whom God has so much honored in "turning 
many to righteousness," runs a fearful risk when he consents to 
locate and to cease the active work of the ministry. Mr. Hickox was 
a very smooth, easy and eloquent speaker — never at a loss for 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 77- 

thoughts or words in which to express them, and always attracted 
large congregations. 

We will now add a few reflections from his own pen, furnished 
at our request: "For about twenty years (1858) I have resided* 
near Rockford, Winnebago County, Illinois, My life here has been 
as it was in Michigan, save that of late years sickness and advancing 
age have so enfeebled me that I can seldom preach. Occasionally I 
am called on to preach a funeral sermon, or to marry a couple, or to 
baptise a child. But even these duties I begin to avoid, for the 
reason that the time when the grasshopper becomes a burden is> 
upon me. Formerly all my thoughts were of labor, now they are 
of rest ; and the time draws nigh for my release, and I begin to look. 
to the end of the journey. My animal pleasures fail, my mind flags,, 
and even religious joys move me less than formerly. But he that led 
me out to vigorous activity, will lead me to the home of the blest if 
I do not make shipwreck of my faith at this late stage." 

Referring to the state of things at Detroit when he first arrived,, 
he says : "And truly, when the corner stones of society were thus to 
be laid in the Northwest, the workmen stood armed with Gospel 
weapons, and ' fighting against principalities and powers.' Though 
so silent, the conflict was more severe, the victory more glorious than 
those of the Thames, the Raisin and Lundy's Lane. But the glory 
belongs to the Captain of our salvation, whose two-edged sword 
shall yet slay the enemies of his kingdom and raise the Lord's house 
to the top of the mountains, ' and bring in everlasting righteousness/ 

1 0, long expected day, begin — 
Dawn on these realms of woe and sin ; 

Fain would we leave this weary load, 
And sleep in death, to rest with God.' " 

It is time now to return to the direct line of our sketch. The 
reader was left with the appointment of our missionary to Detroit, 
first after the war-cry had died away, and he has been furnished with 
some account of his labors and successes, but he has had no account 
of his journey thither or of his reception when he arrived. 

The hiatus would be too great if these particulars should be 
passed over in silence. We will avail ourselves of free extracts from 
the diary of Mr. Hickox touching these points, and we cannot do 
better than to give them in his own words. Having received his 
appointment, he proceeded with all convenient despatch to Buffalo, 
with the expectation of getting a passage by water. In this he was 
disappointed. Hear his own words : 

" After waiting two weeks at Buffalo for a vessel to take me up 



78 HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

the lake, without avail, I crossed over to Canada, mounted my horse, 
and commenced a tedious and dangerous journey through the for- 
ests, swamps, and savages. About half way I stopped with a friend, 
who constrained me to stop over the Sabbath with him, and allow 
an appointment for preaching to be circulated. Sunday morning, 
however, news came that travelers and emigrants were collecting 
some thirty miles in advance, preparing to move in a body through 
a deep forest forty miles wide, and infested with hostile Indians. As 
it was said to be dangerous to pass through that forest without a 
formidable company, and as such companies were only occasionally 
formed, I felt it to be my duty to push on that day, and join the. com- 
pany for Monday's journey. It was the most trying Sabbath day's 
journey I ever made. Several miles from the settlement I fell in 
with two or three thousand Indians, painted in the highest style of 
savage life and yelling like demons. I was alone and knew not 
what to expect. But they offered me no real injury. Towards the 
close of the day, I seemed to have passed the host and to be com- 
paratively free from danger. Alighting from my horse, I breathed 
more freely than I had done during the day, very thankful for a 
whole skin. In the midst of this reverie of thankfulness, the crack of 
a rifle near by suddenly put an end to my congratulations of myself. 
My heart beat quickly, and the hair rose instantly on my head, as a 
huge Indian stepped from behind a tree, as I feared, to my peril. 
But summoning up all the coolness I could, I asked, 'Kill 'em?' 
'No,' was the laconic reply. He had shot at game and had not 
aimed at the itinerant. I reached the company in safety. 

" Perhaps a worse road than we traveled the next day, was 
never passed over. We were impeded by sloughs through which 
a horse could pass only by successive lunges, rendered doubly 
annoying by the clouds of flies and musquitoes that assailed us. 
About midway of the forest, a mournful spectacle presented it- 
self. It was the field where Holmes overtook General Proctor, who 
was retreating from Moravian Town, when a great slaughter took 
place. The British had buried their dead so slightly that the wolves 
had dragged their bodies from the loose earth that had been thrown 
upon them. There lay the skeletons, strewn over the ground. 
They were yet entire — the hair yet upon the head, and the teeth all 
perfect, denoting the youth and strength of the slain. Such are 
some of the desolations of sin which the minister of the Gospel is 
sent to counteract. 

" The next day after having passed this forest a man hailed me, 
asking: 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 79 

"'Are you a Methodist preacher?' 

" 'Yes,' I replied. 

"'Well, wont you preach for us?' continued he. 

'"Yes, if you will gather a congregation,' said I. 

" Lying down to rest, after my toilsome journey, I slept soundly 
until he awoke me, saying that the people had assembled. Spring- 
ing up, I was enabled to preach with freedom to this long forsaken 
people ; and the God of all grace blest the word to the conversion 
of one man at the time. He was the head of a family, and lived and 
died in the faith. Much encouraged by this incident, at the very 
threshold of my work, I began the task assigned me with confidence 
in the power of God to make even this 'wilderness to bud and blos- 
som as the rose.' " 

Through such perils and sufferings did Mr. Hickox proceed, un- 
til he reached Detroit, where he was kindly received by Robert Ab- 
bott, Esq., and the few faithful ones of whom we have before spoken. 
As before noted, he located in 1820, and settled on his farm on the 
Rouge. Here he performed much valuable service as a local 
preacher, and there are many in and around Detroit who kindly 
remember him, although almost an entire generation has come onto 
the active stage since he left Michigan. 

He removed from Illinois to Beloit, Wisconsin, where he died in 
the faith and peace of the Gospel, January 16th, 1867. His expres- 
sions of personal confidence in the Divine Redeemer were very 
satisfactory. 

Gideon Laning, who succeeded Mr. Hickox on Detroit Circuit 
in 181 7, was admitted into the Genesee Conference on trial in 181 2 ; 
received his regular appointments ; passed through the grades of 
the ministry, and labored usefully in the cause. He remained on this 
charge but one year; and, indeed, he rendered but little more than 
a half year's service on the Detroit Circuit, because of sickness, and 
his place was supplied by Thomas Harmon, as has been before 
stated. The people would have been much better pleased, if they 
could have had his ministry, than they were with the supply they had. 
Mr. Laning still lives — 1877 — so it does not become us to say much 
concerning him at this time. When appointed to Detroit, it was in- 
tended he should devote himself exclusively to Michigan, and he 
received the following paper, signed by the Bishop making the ap- 
pointment : 

" To WHOM IT MAY CONCERN : 

** The Rev. Gideon Laning is employed on a mission to Detroit to preach the 
Gospel, under the auspices of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and he is 



SO HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

hereby recommended to the hospitality of all, wherever Providence may call 
him in the performance of his mission. 
Elizabethtown, 25th June, 1816. (Signed) ENOCH GEORGE." 

Mr. Laning was born in New Jersey, March 23d, 1792. His 
parents were members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. In 1800 
they removed to Western New York, where, when he was thirteen 
years of age, he was converted and joined the Methodist Episcopal 
Church. When seventeen years old he began to call sinners to re- 
pentance, and officiated as an exhorter and local preacher until twenty 
years old, when he was admitted on trial in the Genesee Conference. 
His youthful appearance drew crowds to hear him, and his word was 
attended with much success — how much, eternity alone will unfold. 
He had traveled five very extensive circuits in Central and Western 
New York, before he was appointed to the Detroit Mission in 181 7. 
Detroit had stood on the General Minutes for several years previous, 
but the preachers appointed had bestowed their labor principally on 
the adjacent parts of Canada. This year — 181 7 — it was resolved 
for the first time to have the missionary devote his time exclusively 
to Michigan, as the above paper, signed by Bishop George, will show. 
Mr. Laning preached in William McCarty's private dwelling on the 
Rouge on Sabbath morning, and in the Council House in Detroit at 
night. He had to leave the mission on account of failure of health. 
As soon as able after leaving the mission he journeyed South, and 
his health so much improved that he took an appointment at the 
next Conference. 

For five years ensuing he occupied fields of labor in Pennsyl- 
vania, Maryland and Virginia. In 1823 he returned to the Genesee 
Conference in Western New York, where he has retained his stand- 
ing ever since. Although he has been on the superannuated list for 
several years past, he has done effective service nearly forty years y 
including four years of chaplaincy in an alms-house. 

In 1857, after an absence of nearly forty years, he visited Michi- 
gan. He makes the following remarks in regard to this visit : " I 
was astonished in witnessing the contrast. Where there was but 
one class of Methodists of less than thirty names, in 181 7, there was 
now, according to the Minutes, a membership of about twenty-five 
thousand. And where I was the only Protestant minister, except a 
licentiate (John Monteith), in Detroit, there were now two annual 
conferences, besides a great number of ministers and churches of 
other evangelical denominations. Then, there was not a building 
called a church in all Michigan; now, they were numerous. 'What 
hath God wrought?' Where I had to follow an Indian trail to get. 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 51 

to the settlement, and ford rivers, or have the horse swim by the side 
of a canoe while holding him by the bridle, or if no one was present 
to paddle it, to lie down and be drawn to the opposite shore, there 
were railroads now, and every facility for travel. Cities and villages 
had sprung up as if by magic, where there was only a dense forest 
forty years before." 

In regard to his work, he says : " In respect to my mission field, 
in 1 817, I found the English and Yankee people ready to listen to 
the preached word. They were quite friendly and hospitable. As 
to the French, they were under Catholic domination. I saw but one 
Indian with whom I could converse. He had been educated for an 
interpreter to a Presbyterian mission, and had served in that capacity 
for some few years. He told me the missionary wanted him to return 
with him, but his people would not suffer it. So he had remained 
and become as wicked as ever. I invited him to attend my preaching 
at the Rouge, it being only ten miles distant, which he promised to 
do. I never saw any people more hungry for the preached word, 
than at a settlement about fifty miles in a northwesterly direction 
from Detroit. They had never been visited by a preacher before. 
The whole community would turn out on a week-day, and drink in 
every word. One man told me he had left his harvestfield and 
walked eight miles to hear me. At the Raisin (now Monroe) I had 
a large congregation. At the Rapids of the Maumee, Ohio, I entered 
an open door. It was affecting in Detroit City, on a bright moon- 
light evening, to have the Council House yard and adjacent street 
filled with attentive hearers. O that my health had been such that 
I could have continued on the mission ! But God does all things well." 

It is a pity he did not confine his labors to Detroit and the 
Rouge. His eloquence charmed the people, and his gentlemanly 
manners gave him access to all classes. At the Raisin, and in a few 
other places, he found a few persons who had been Methodists pre- 
vious to their removing to Michigan. So, with what his successor 
may have received, a grand total of forty members was returned at 
the next Conference, for Michigan. He was a very worthy laborer 
in this field. 

Alpheus Davis was admitted on trial in the Genesee Confer- 
ence in 1 81 6, and died in 1820. He was born in Paris, Oneida 
County, New York, December nth, 1793. He was, consequently, 
twenty-three years old when he entered the itinerant work. He ex- 
perienced religion when about thirteen years of age, and for some 
time performed faithfully the duties and professed the enjoyments 
of a Christian life. Unfortunately, then he fell into the snare of the 



82 HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

Devil, and for a short time lived in a careless, backslidden state. In 
this condition he found no rest to his soul. At length, with deep 
and earnest penitence, he returned to the fold of Christ — to the 
fellowship of the saints — " the household of faith." Severe was 
the struggle when he came back to the Lord. Very soon after 
his restoration to the life of a Christian he began to exercise himself 
in religious meetings, exhibiting such talents as to satisfy the Church 
that he was called of God to the work of the ministry. Having re- 
ceived license as a local preacher, he sustained that relation for one 
year, and then was employed by the Presiding Elder to supply a 
Circuit for one year. In these relations he gave such satisfaction 
that he was recommended to the Conference, and admitted into the 
itinerant connection. The first two years he traveled in the Eastern 
portion of the Conference. In 1818 he was sent to these ends of 
the earth — as Detroit was then regarded — to the care of these sheep 
in the wilderness. There seems not to have been much success at- 
tending his labors here, as he only returned thirty members at the 
close of his term, or year. He continued in connection with this 
work only one year, as we find by the Minutes he was appointed to 
Herkimer Circuit, New York, for the next year. He labored faith- 
fully, with declining health. 

At the Conference held in August, 1820, he was placed on the 
superannuated list ; but he continued to waste away so rapidly with 
pulmonary consumption that he fell asleep in Jesus, October 8th, 
1820. He had not married. We find the following estimate of his 
worth in the Official Minutes for 182 1 : " Our departed brother and 
fellow-laborer in the Gospel has left a vacancy in the Church of God 
which few will be able to supply. To say he had no faults would be 
to raise him above human beings ; but to say few have had less, 
would be believed by all who knew him. In the private circles of 
social life he was highly esteemed, as well by the aged as the youth. 
An assemblage of agreeable and useful qualities, which were the or- 
nament of his mind and the savor of his life, could not fail to inter- 
est society. But when we follow our dearly beloved brother through 
the more retired and obscure scenes of life into the field of his 
public ministry, we find him no less the faithful pastor of his flock 
than the agreeable and profitable associate of his friends, and the 
dutiful child. His private studies, his pastoral visits and his public 
exercises were happily directed to the great object which the Gospel 
is designed to promote ; and it may be said of him in every station 
which he filled, that ' his labor was not in vain in the Lord.' Though 
he sustained every relation in life he held with reputation and use- 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 83 

fulness, at no period did he shine with more lustre or appear to 
greater advantage than in his last illness. The patience which dis- 
tinguished the last sufferings of Brother Davis, as well as the forti- 
tude and cheerfulness with which he met the King of Terrors, gave 
-evidence of that true piety which is peculiar to the Christian. He 
was held in such high estimation by the friends among whom he 
died, that several families contended for the privilege of nursing him 
in his sickness. But notwithstanding his youth, his rare and promis- 
ing abilities, and the hopes and solicitudes of his friends, he fell a 
victim to death! He sleeps to wake no more in time! This promising 
youth, after having ' fought the good fight, and kept the faith,' fin- 
ished his course October 8th, 1820. That he died in the Lord, and 
that he rests from his labors, we can have no doubt." Thus God lays 
by his workmen, but yet carries on His work. 

We have been able to gather but scanty materials for a memo- 
rial sketch of the life and labors of Rev. Truman Dixon. He was 
admitted on trial in the Genesee Conference in 18 18; consequently, 
this was his second appointment, as he was sent to Detroit in 1819, 
where he labored for one year only. He had good success on this 
charge, as he returned sixty-six members, a little more than double 
the last year's report. He is said to have been a man of good abil- 
ities as a preacher, and attended faithfully to his work here. The Gene- 
see Conference held its session July 20th, 1820, at Niagara, in Cana- 
da, at which time the connection of Michigan with that Conference 
•ceased. Mr. Dixon located in 1825, having devoted seven years to 
the itinerant ministry. We now lose sight of him. He seems to 
have been a man of considerable mental power, and to have been 
capable of accomplishing much good. It is a pity that such men, for 
any cause, should cease the active ministerial work. The world is so 
much in need of the labors of such men that they ought, unless re- 
leased by Divine Providence disabling them, to continue their active 
labors for its reformation. 

The Old Log Church. We have before spoken of the fact that 
the first Protestant Christian Church in Michigan was built by the 
Methodists in the vicinity of Detroit. It is not to be supposed that 
this was done without much effort ; for, though it was a humble 
building, the people were poor and few, especially those who felt 
any interest in such an enterprise. In regard to this old church, 
Rev. John A. Baughman, now deceased, and who was the last min- 
ister who preached in it, remarked to us: "The old log church stood 
on the north side of the road running from Detroit up the River 
Rouge, some five or fix miles from the city, a short distance from the 



84 HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

river. The size, as nearly as I can recollect, was about twenty- four 
by thirty feet, standing lengthwise east and west, fronting south to- 
wards the road and river. The pulpit was on the north side, oppsite 
the door, built of plain, common boards, dressed, standing directly 
against the wall. The pulpit was entered by steps at the east end. 
It had no altar. The floor consisted of plain, rough boards nailed 
upon sleepers. The seats consisted of plain, rough benches, made 
by boring auger holes and inserting round sticks of wood into them. 
These were placed so as to leave an aisle in front of the pulpit, to 
the door. There were four windows to the house — one in each end 
and one on each side of the door in the front side of the house. 
The ceiling was from eleven to twelve feet high from the floor, con- 
sisting of round logs from which the bark was peeled, for joists. 
These were covered with rough boards laid loosely over them. The 
house was warmed by a large stove which stood in the center, with 
the pipe running into a chimney, and thus passing out of the roof. 
The body of the building consisted of quite large, hewed logs, put 
up somewhat after the old French style." 

Our recollection of the position of this building — for it was 
still standing, though not used for a church, when we came into the 
country in 1830 — is that it stood with the end towards the road, and 
if we had been about to have a drawing made of it we should have 
had it in that way. But this is of no consequence, and we are as 
likely to be mistaken as Mr. Baughman. Though the church was 
abandoned as a place of worship when we came into the country, 
and we preached in a private house a little above it, we used to pass 
it often and have gone into it to look at it with feelings of rever- 
ence, as its having been a place where much good had been done ; 
for one who used to worship in it once said to us, "There was much 
of Divine power in their meetings, and prayer and praise there as- 
cended to Heaven. Peace and joy filled their hearts, while they 
walked in fellowship and love." 

Mr. Hickox said of this old church: "In the spring of 1818 
they put up a comfortable hewed-log chapel, for the worship of 
Almighty God. While they stood in the forest, those trees from 
which the logs were taken had echoed to the shouts of savages, 
rendered wild by the spirit of darkness ; but now, by the exceeding 
greatness of the Lord's power in them that believe, they resounded 
with praise to the Prince of Peace. This was the first house of 
worship erected in the Territory of Michigan." He means Protes- 
tant place of worship. 

We may as well finish the history of this house in this place as 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 85 

to postpone it. From the changes occurring in society by the 
growth of the country, and from difficulties and disaffections in the 
Church, the location became very inconvenient, and this house was 
abandoned as a place of worship in 1828, after having been used in 
that way for about ten years. 

When we first came to Michigan, in 1830, having been appoint- 
ed to Ann Arbor Circuit, which included the ground where this 
church was located, this house was still standing, but in a dilapi- 
dated condition. Being abandoned it soon fell into decay, and a few 
years later, some one conceiving the idea that it was rather unsight- 
ly, and not having any fear of the Methodists before his eyes, set 
fire to it, which consumed most of the materials of which it was 
made. Thus passes the glory of the world — of all terrestrial things. 
It had its day of usefulness, and now, like many other things, when 
it can no longer be used it is first abandoned and then destroyed. 

The remains of this first house, built for the worship of the true 
and living God, in Michigan, lay undisturbed in their ashes and ruins 
until in the month of June, 1851. At this time the ministers of the 
Methodist Episcopal Church residing in the City of Detroit, and 
officiating in the churches, to wit : James Shaw, Presiding Elder of 
Detroit District, Elijah H. Pilcher, of the Woodward Avenue 
Church, George Taylor, of Congress street, and Lorenzo D. Price, of 
Lafayette street — instigated by some kind of a spirit, laudable or 
otherwise, as any one may please to consider it, at the suggestion of 
Rev. George Taylor aforesaid — made a sally out of the city, and 
with force and arms carried off all the remains of the timber that 
was sufficiently sound, and had it manufactured into canes. These 
amounted to about thirty in number. Most of these were sold at 
the succeeding session of the Annual Conference, and the avails 
were given to the Missionary Society. They reserved one each for 
themselves. A few were donated as follows, viz : to Bishop Morris, 
Bishop Scott, after he was elected to the Episcopal office ; Rev. Jud- 
son D. Collins, who had just returned from the China Mission in 
very poor health, after having been absent for several years. Robert 
Abbott, Esq., took one for himself, and donated one to Rev. William 
Case as a token of remembrance of the good that he had received 
through his labors. 

As the Bible did not prohibit wearing silver, these canes — that is, 
the reserved and donated ones — were mounted with heavy silver 
heads, and these words were engraved on the sides : " Relic of the 
first Methodist, being the first Protestant Church in Michigan, built 
18 18." Thus has this first church, erected to the glory of God in 



86 HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

Michigan, and which was honored of God by the manifestations of 
His Spirit in the conversion of precious souls, passed away. We 
now say, Requiescat in pace — rest in peace — but your record is on 
high and your memorial is not to perish from among men! Thus it 
is with this world ; men and things have their day in which they may 
be useful, and then to pass away — some to be forgotten and some 
to be immortalized. 

It would be curious and interesting if we could present the 
original subscription, showing that some subscribed fractions of a 
dollar, and others so many days of labor or a certain amount of ma- 
terials, and so on. Rev. Thomas Harmon, the supply in the absence 
of Rev. Gideon Laning, and Robert Abbott, Esq., were the most 
active agents in securing the erection of this house ; and in its latter 
years, Joseph Hanchett was the most prominent member of the 
Society in it. 

It is proper here to note that the breaking up of the Society and 
the abandonment of the church at so early a period was not entirely 
dependent on the changes in the settlement, although that had a 
good deal to do with it. Dissensions had sprung up among them, 
and had run so high that some had been expelled from the Church 
who had considerable influence in the community. This, as a matter 
of course, set them in opposition to the Church. They therefore, did 
all they could to break it down. This dissension grew partly out of 
a jealousy towards Robert Abbott, Esq., who at this time owned a 
farm on the Rouge and resided on it. Mr. Abbott, as has before 
been shown, was a man of considerable influence in the Church, and 
of high standing in the community. Before the abandonment of the 
Church he had moved back to the city, and was fully identified with 
the Church there. We may form a little idea of the spirit of evil 
which had sprung up by noting a fact or two. Mr. Abbott had taken 
a very active part in raising subscriptions for building the church, 
and he acted as collector and treasurer. He was in poor health,, 
suffering very much from dyspepsia, and Mr. Harmon, the preacher, 
had persuaded him to go with him into Canada and spend a few 
weeks during the spring. This was before the building was com- 
pleted. During his absence, one of the members put into circula- 
tion the report that Mr. Abbott had run off with the funds of the 
Church, and managed in some irregular way to have him declared 
expelled from the Church. When Mr. Abbott returned from his 
visit he was restored to his standing, as what was done was illegally 
done. Mr. Abbott had charges preferred against this brother now, 
for slander, and he was formally expelled. This man, who showed 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 8? 

that his expulsion was just by his violence and profane cursing, ever 
after became an enemy of the Church. With such a spirit as now 
began to spring up, it required but a few removals to make it im- 
practicable to keep it up. Mr. Abbott removed to the city; William 
McCarty had settled on a farm several miles farther up the river, and 
could not attend here — so Mr. Hanchett was nearly left alone to 
maintain the Church. William Stacy had died, and several of the 
Corbuses had moved away. The meetings were withdrawn and 
the church abandoned. It is always to be deplored, when dis- 
cords and divisions spring up in a Church, for they can only result 
in evil. Why will members of a feeble Church, especially, ever allow 
themselves to pursue such a suicidal course? 

We must now say a few words more in regard to Joseph 
Hanchett. We knew him personally. He was a man of sound 
mind, and seemed to have a genuine religious experience. He 
removed to Branch County, and his was one of the two families 
who settled at Coldwater in 1831, and he and his wife, with Allen 
Tibbits and his wife, formed the first Methodist Society organized 
there, in 1832. The Society at Coldwater was organized by Rev. E. 
H. Pilcher, preacher in charge of Tecumseh Circuit, June 19th, 1832, 
consisting of Allen Tibbits, local preacher, Caroline M. Tibbits his 
wife, Joseph Hanchett, and Nancy Hanchett his wife. This was the 
first religious Society, or Church, organized in Branch County. 
Allen Tibbitts, the local preacher just named, preached the first 
sermon ever delivered at what is now the City of Coldwater, on the 
fourth Sabbath of July, 1 831, in a little log house in which he 
resided, and in which Rev. E. H. Pilcher preached the first funeral 
discourse ever delivered in Branch County, in October, 1831. It was 
a daughter of Mr. Tibbitts that had died. 

Joseph Hanchett died in Natchez, Mississippi, of yellow fever, 
in September, 1849. He had gone there to visit a son. He was 
buried by the Order of Odd Fellows. Allen Tibbitts was there on 
the day of his burial, and attended his funeral. He had removed 
from Coldwater to Beloit, Wisconsin, several years previous to this, 
where his wife had died a few years before. He remained faithful 
to the Church while he lived, and doubtless has gone to receive the 
reward of the righteous in heaven. 

We subjoin the following paper, taken from the Michigan 
Christian Advocate, dated in April, 1877 : 

The First Protestant Church in the State of Michigan. — 
Rev. Dr. Pilcher, in his researches in the preparation of a work en- 
titled, "The Introduction and Progress of Protestantism in Michigan," 



88 HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

obtained the following statement through Mr. Silas Farmer, accom- 
panied with a note, which we also subjoin. It seems there was a dis- 
position at that time to ignore the existence of a Methodist Church 
in Michigan. Mr. Abbott speaks of the Society or Church on the 
River Rouge, simply because they had come to have more members 
there than in the City of Detroit, and had built a church there. The 
Society or Church, as originally organized, had a majority of its 
members in the city, and they held their meetings in both places. 
This advertisement settles definitely and authoritatively the fact, as 
so often stated by Dr. Pilcher, that a Methodist Church had been 
organized here in 1810, and had never become extinct. The place 
on the Rouge referred to was only a little beyond Woodmere 
Cemetery. Mr. Abbott himself joined this Church in 18 10, he then 
residing in the City of Detroit. Brother Farmer says : 

Dear Brother Pilcher : — The enclosed copy of advertisement from the 
Detroit Weekly Gazette of April 3d, 1818, was only discovered by a careful search 
through over 20,000 old newspapers, occupying over four months of time, and I 
judge it is probably the most definite information possible to obtain, and the infor- 
mation was sought specially for my " Illustrated History of Detroit." 

The advertisement reads as follows : 

First Protestant Church in the State of Michigan, was erected at the 
River Rouge, on the 31st ultimo, by a Society of Methodists, a body corporate, be- 
longing to the Methodist Episcopal Church in the United States. The said Society 
was established at the River Rouge in the year 1810, and through the mercies of 
God has remained inflexible through the storms of war and other trials ; and by 
the Divine blessing is still in a prosperous way. 

ROBERT ABBOTT, 
April 2, 1818. One of the Trustees of the River Rouge Methodist Episcopal Church. 




HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 89 




CHAPTER V. 

Changes — Numbers — Kent, from Ohio Conference — Decrease — Settlements Increase — Morey 
Appointed — Morey's Death — Supply — First Camp Meeting — Catholic Woman — Society Per- 
manently in Detroit—Ohio Conference, 1822 — Two Ministers — Baker is Married, and Dies 
— Pattee and Plimpton — Hunter — Extending the Work — Reflections — Review — Corporation 
Formed — Corporators — Meeting in May, 1820 — Erection of a Church — Simmons — Pattee 
Goes East — Offer of Help — New Church — Isaac C. Hunter — Anecdote — Numbers — Inci- 
dents of Hickox and Richard — Richard. 

E now enter upon the third period of our History, which 
extends from August, 1820, to September, 1836, a term 
of sixteen years. More rapid changes will have been 
made during this time than during all the years of our 
past History. This period includes the time from the 
transfer of Michigan to the Ohio Conference, until the Michigan 
Conference was organized. But what have we to start with? The 
last report made to the Genesee Conference by Mr. Dixon, July 
20th, 1820, gives sixty-six members for Detroit Circuit ; but we 
cannot reckon more than thirty of these as belonging to Michi- 
gan, or else there must have been a very considerable scattering in 
the few weeks which intervened between the appointments of this 
year. 

At the session of the Ohio Conference held at Chillicothe, Ohio, 
commencing August 20th, 1820, Detroit is made to appear on its list 
of appointments. It is found in the Lebanon District, James B. Fin- 
ley, Presiding Elder. John P. Kent was appointed in charge of the 
Circuit, alone. Mr. Kent was an able preacher and labored faithful- 
ly ; but in numbering up the hosts at the end of the year, we find a 
return of only twenty members for Detroit Circuit at the Conference, 
September 6th, 1821. Here is a decrease of ten or more. We are 
not fully prepared to account for this decrease. It probably occurred, 
in part, in consequence of the transfer of the country from one 



90 HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

Conference to another, which occasioned the severance of all ap- 
pointments and members which were on the Canada side of the river. 

We have now reached a period in our History when all the 
numbers of the membership returned at the conferences belong in 
Michigan, so that we can state the numbers with greater exactness 
than heretofore. Mr. Kent was a young, unmarried man, though an 
ordained Elder, but his health was not very rugged. Notwithstanding 
his delicate health, he remained faithfully in charge of his work to 
the close of the year. By his excessive labors and exposures in this 
region of country, he became so prostrated that it was necessary for 
him to take a superannuated relation at the Conference in 182 1. Mr. 
Finley, the Presiding Elder, visited the country in the spring of 1821. 
A full account of his labors and visits will be found in another chap- 
ter, under the memorial notice of James B. Finley. 

The settlements in Michigan began now to increase with con- 
siderable rapidity, so that the Itinerant could find places enough to 
employ his whole time and tax his energies to their utmost. Mr. 
Kent visited as many of these new settlements as he could, and ar- 
ranged them into a plan for a Circuit for his successor for the next 
year. We will now state our position at the end of this first year of 
our third period — that is, September 6th, 1821. We have one charge 
{Detroit Circuit), one preacher, twenty members, and one log meeting- 
house. Not a very encouraging state of things ; and yet, these were 
nearly all the Protestant professors in the Territory. There had 
been a Presbyterian Church organized in Monroe in 1820, but that 
was very feeble ; and there were a few professors, besides Method- 
ists, in the City of Detroit. The cause, however, is of God ; and 
we are to look to Him for the success. 

At the Conference held at Lebanon, Ohio, beginning September 
6th, 1 82 1, Piatt B. Morey, a young man of rather feeble health, who 
had just been admitted on trial, was appointed to Detroit, and it was 
still included in the Lebanon District. John Strange was appointed 
Presiding Elder. Mr. Strange made one visit to Detroit and 
preached with great power. His visit was of much advantage to 
the cause in Detroit. 

Mr. Morey reached the work some time in October, but he had 
not completed a single round on his charge before he was taken 
sick. He died at Mount Clemens, in December, 1821. His remains 
were taken to Detroit for interment and were deposited in the grave- 
yard in the midst of the city. Rev. Joseph Hickox preached his 
funeral sermon. In the spring of 1851, it having been determined to 
erect a block for stores on this ground, the grave was taken up and 






HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 9 1 

the remains transferred to Elmwood Cemetery, where the same plain 
stone that marked his grave before still marks the spot where lies 
his dust till the last, loud trumpet shall sound to awake the sleeping 
dust to life. Mr. Morey was born at Trumansburg, New York, but 
he had gone into Ohio. He was a very pious, good man, but 
not a great preacher. He was young, and promised usefulness had 
he lived. During his sickness his mind was clear, and he was very 
happy. He died in great triumph. He was the first Methodist 
preacher who was buried in Michigan soil. 

Rev. John P. Kent, who had taken a superannuated relation, was 
employed by the Presiding Elder to fill out the year. He returned 
one hundred and thirty members at the end of the year. This was 
an increase of one hundred and ten, as it will be recollected that there 
were but twenty returned at the preceding Conference. New settle- 
ments had been included, and societies formed among immigrants ; 
many had also been converted and added to the existing Soci- 
eties. The work was now widening in its circle, and assumed a more 
permanent form, never again to recede. 

Mr. Kent, assisted by Rev. William Case, Presiding Elder on 
Upper Canada District, held a Camp-Meeting on the farm of William 
Stacy, on the River Rouge, in the month of June, 1822 — the first 
meeting of the kind ever held in Michigan. It was a very good and 
profitable time. The whole country turnd out to see the novel spec- 
tacle of a meeting in the woods. Among many others who were 
brought to a knowledge of the love of God for the first time, was a 
French Catholic woman. While she was penitently asking for a new 
heart, a relative of hers, a leading Romanist in these parts, 
came into the altar. Looking on for a few minutes, with a mixture 
of surprise and alarm ; then, in response to the suggestion of some 
one that she wanted religion, he cried out, " She has got religion ! 
She need not seek religion ! She has got religion, for I have it now 
in my pocket!" He probably referred to some note of indulgence, 
or of confirmation, which had been given to him for her. But she 
did not think that that was what she needed. She still sought it by 
faith in Christ. She found peace in His name, and went away much 
more comforted by the " love of God shed abroad in her heart by 
the Holy Ghost given unto her " than by the religion in the pocket 
of her relative. This was a very valuable meeting, and much last- 
ing good was accomplished. The Church was much benefited by it. 

Some time during the year 1821 the Society became more fully 
installed in the City of Detroit, and their meetings were constantly 
held in the city. Previous to this time, although the preaching was 



92 HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

constant in the city — that is, once in three or four weeks — and 
although the Society had been organized in the city, as before stated, 
the Society met sometimes in Detroit, and sometimes on the River 
Rouge in the log meeting-house. As yet, no vigorous effort had 
been made to build a Methodist church in the city. Our people had 
been content to occupy, occasionally, the house which had been built 
by Protestants in common, under the name of " The First Protestant 
Church or Society." By the way, the Methodists might at this time 
have possessed themselves entirely of this house and property, if 
they had adopted the advice given to a young lawyer, who had then 
recently been converted and had joined the Methodist Church, by an 
old gentleman who was not a professor of religion but was friendly 
to the Methodists. He advised this young lawyer to induce 
a sufficient number of Methodists and their particular friends to 
become members of that Society, to control it, and then to vote the 
property to their exclusive use and benefit. " But," said the young 
man, "that would not be honorable." " No matter," said the old 
gentleman, " if you do not do so, somebody else will, and you will 
lose it." "Oh, I think not," said the confiding young man. It was 
not long after this, however, before he found his confidence was mis- 
placed, and the statement of the old man was fully realized. The 
Methodists had to find a place of worship as they could, this common 
house having been voted to the exclusive use of another denomina- 
tion. 

After the death of Mr. Morey, of whom we have nearly lost 
sight, but whose appointment to this charge, in 1821, is now recalled 
to mind, Mr. Kent rilled out the year until the session of the Ohio 
Conference, which met in Marietta, Ohio, beginning September 5th, 
1822. Marietta is a small town situated on the Ohio River at the 
■confluence of the Muskingum River ; so that our Itinerant had to 
travel on horseback to the southeast part of the State of Ohio to 
reach the seat of his Conference. Mr. Kent returned one hundred 
<and thirty members for Detroit Circuit. The Circuit, however, extend- 
ed to the Maumee Rapids, in Ohio ; and he had reorganized the 
Society at Monroe. (For a fuller account of this latter Society we 
refer to Monroe, when it appears on our records.) 

The work had so enlarged that at this Conference it was thought 
advisable to increase the ministerial force — to send two ministers to 
Detroit Circuit. This begins to seem a little as though we were 
coming up out of the wilderness. A brighter day begins to dawn, 
both for the country and for Michigan Protestantism, though a dark 
cloud still hangs over our heavens in the city, This is mainly the 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 93, 

result of previous miscalculation. In September,. 1822, Alfred 
Brunson and Samuel Baker were appointed to Detroit Circuit, which 
was still included in the Lebanon District — James B. Finley, Pre- 
siding Elder. Mr. Brunson confined his labors mostly to the city. 
He was the first man who ventured to make a concentration of labor 
in the city. Mr. Baker attended to the country work. Mr. Brunson 
still lives — 1877 — in the enjoyment of a green old age. Mr. Baker,, 
during the year, formed a matrimonial alliance with Miss Sarah 
Harvey, of Monroe — late Mrs. Rev. John A. Baughman ; went to Con- 
ference, which met at Urbana, Ohio, September 4th, 1823; was taken 
sick, and died in a few days. At the Conference of 1823 they re- 
turned one hundred and sixty-one members, being a net increase of 
thirty-one over last year. Taking all the circumstances into the 
account, this was doing well. As nigh as we can now ascertain,, 
there were about sixty members in the City of Detroit. 

The next year's appointments did not embrace as much strength 
as the last. In September, 1823, Elias Pattee and Billings O. Plymp- 
ton were stationed on this one Circuit. Mr.. Pattee was a man of 
moderate talents and limited education, but of great zeal. Mr. 
Plympton was a noble-spirited and zealous Christian, but young — 
just beginning, this being only his second year in the ministry. 
This Circuit was now included in the Miami District — John Strange, 
Presiding Elder — a District that extended from Cincinnati to Detroit. 
Why it was severed from Lebanon District cannot be ascertained. 
It certainly did not make it any more convenient for the Presiding 
Elder to visit it. As might have been expected from the dimensions 
of the District, the Presiding Elder does not appear to have visited 
Michigan at all that year. Indeed, for the two years that Mr. Strange 
presided, he does not appear to have made more than one visit to 
the Territory. This is not to be wondered at, from its distance and 
the difficulties of travel to reach it. The appointment this year was 
not in every respect such as the character of the work demanded, 
especially so far as the City of Detroit was concerned. The cause 
gained no special strength in the city this year, though in the coun- 
try settlements large accessions were made, so that at the Confer- 
ence in 1824 — at the end of the year — they reported two hundred 
and forty-two members for the Circuit. This was a net increase of 
eighty-one. They have also lopped off the Maumee Rapids, and 
confined their labors to Michigan. It will be recollected that immi- 
gration had now turned its course considerably toward Michigan, 
and, as the settlements were formed, our ministers were ready to 



94 HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

supply them, and new appointments had been made in various local- 
ities. 

Elias Pattee was reappointed to this Circuit in September, 1824, 
and Isaac C. Hunter was associated with him as his colleague. The 
Circuit was now included in the Sandusky District — a new District 
which was organized at this Conference — and James B. Finley was 
Presiding Elder again. It is most probable that Mr. Finley did not 
visit Detroit more than once this year, as there are no memorials of 
his having done so. As both preachers were ordained Elders, it was 
not as essential that he should come, as it otherwise would have 
been, because the ordinances could be administered without him; 
and yet the visits of the Presiding Elder were looked for with great 
interest in those days. 

With the increasing population these brethren found increasing 
demands for labor; and the work was much extended as the new 
settlements increased, or came into existence, and these itinerants 
were ready to follow them up and administer to them the Word of 
Life. Mr. Pattee extended his labors as far west as Ypsilanti, and 
organized a small Society at Woodruff's Grove, as Ypsilanti was then 
called, in the summer of 1825. This was the first Christian Church 
organized in Washtenaw County, or at any point in Michigan west 
of Wayne County. Of the fortunes and successes of this Society a 
full account will be given when Ypsilanti comes into notice as a dis- 
tinct charge, so we dismiss it for the present. 

While these brethren were extending their labors to the increas- 
ing settlements in the country — to the outposts — the citadel was neg- 
lected — the city interests were not much promoted. Upon the whole, 
there was no increase of membership in the Territory this year, as 
the number returned was the same as last year — that is, two hundred 
and forty-two. No advance, upon the whole, was made either in the 
City of Detroit or the County of Wayne. 

The real condition of a Church cannot always be determined by 
the number of members at any given time. This may be stationary, 
or may even have diminished, while the real moral power has been 
accumulating and gathering strength, ready to develop itself on some 
future occasion with the greater success. The Church may be con- 
stituted of such fickle and unstable people as that, in a few months, 
after a flood-tide of prosperity, few of them only may be found walk- 
ing in the way of righteousness ; or it may be constituted of persons 
of a firm, decided character, whose decision and constancy will make 
a deep and abiding impression on a community. A Church of the 
latter description will certainly work its wav into the esteem and 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 95 

affections of the people, and will ultimately triumph. Heretofore we 
have considered our work mostly in respect to its numerical increase. 
It is now time to take a little review of it in other respects. 

" The First Protestant Society of Detroit," having voted to 
appropriate the small house of worship which had been erected in 
the City of Detroit, by the common contributions of the people, 
under the auspices of the " First Evangelistic Society" — a Society 
which was made up of all Protestants, without reference to their 
Church relations — to the exclusive use of the Presbyterians, and the 
Methodists being left to find a place of worship where they could, 
they thought of providing a house for themselves. They had a few 
persons among them of sterling fidelity, who had become Methodists 
from principle and who were disposed to rise or fall, as the case 
might be, with this Church, and who felt deeply the need of a church 
of their own. Of some of these men we shall hereafter give some 
account. 

As early as May, 1820, some effort had been made to obtain 
from the Governor and Judges, who had the coutrol of the matter, 
a lot on which to build a church, by calling together those citizens 
who were friendly to the object to petition them for that purpose. 
No corporation, however, was created until 1822. At this time, in 
order to constitute a religious corporation, it was necessary to adopt 
articles of association setting forth the object of the corporation, 
which must be submitted to the Governor and Judges, and, if ap- 
proved by them, the signers and their successors were constituted a 
corporation in law. Such articles of association were drawn up on 
the 2 1 st day of March, 1822, and signed by the persons whose names 
are attached thereto. 

The names attached to the articles of association did not com- 
prise all who were connected with the Church in the city at that time. 
They, however, were enough to meet the demands of the law in such 
cases. As this is the first organization of the kind in the line of our 
History, it may be interesting to insert these articles here : 

CONSTITUTION OF THE METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH OF THE CITY OF DETROIT. 

To all whom these presents may come: 

Know ye, that we, whose names are hereunto subscribed, being desirous of estab- 
lishing a Methodist Episcopal Society in the City of Detroit, for the purpose of ac- 
quiring and enjoying the powers and immunities of a corporation or body politic in 
law, according to an act of the Governor and Judges of the Territory of Michigan, 
entitled " an act to confer on certain associations the power and immunities of cor- 
porations or bodies politic in law," do therefore, by these presents, associate ourselves 
together for the said purpose by the name, style and title of " The First Methodist 
Episcopal Society of the City of Detroit," under the articles and conditions follow- 
ing, to wit : 



9 6 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 



Section 1. The said subscribers and their successors shall, according to the above-recited 
act, become and be a corporation or body corporate in law and in fact, to have continuance by the 
name, style and title of "The First Methodist Episcopal Society of the City of Detroit," and as' such 
shall have full power and authority to make, have and use one common seal with such device and 
inscription as they shall deem proper, and the same to break, alter or renew at their pleasure, and 
by the name, style and title aforesaid, be able and capable in law to sue and be sued, plead and be 
impleaded, in any court or courts, before any judge or judges, justice or justices, in all manner of 
suits, complaints, pleas, causes, matters and demands whatsoever ; and all and every matter or thing 
to do, in as full and as effectual a manner as any other person or persons, bodies politic or corporate 
within the Territory of Michigan, may or can do, and shall be authorized and empowered to make 
rules, by-laws and ordinances, and to do everything needful for the good government and support of 
said Society. Provided that the said by-laws, rules and ordinances', or any of them, be not repug- 
nant to the Constitution of the United States, or to the laws of this Territory, or to the present in- 
strument upon which said Society is founded and established ; and, provided also, that the said by- 
laws, rules and ordinances shall not extend to the dissolution of said Society, without the consent of 
all the members thereof. 

Section. 2. The said Society and their successors, by the name, style and title aforesaid, shall 
be able and capable in law, according to the terms and conditions of these presents, to take and hold 
all manner of lands, tenements, rents annuities, franchises and hereditaments, and any sum or sums 
of money, and any manner and portion of goods and chattels, given and bequeathed unto them to 
be employed and disposed of according to the object, articles and conditions of this instrument^ the 
by-laws of the said Society, or of the will and intention of the donor ; provided that the clear 
yearly value or income of the messuages, houses, lands and tenements and real estate, and the inter* 
est of the money by them lent shall not exceed the sum of $2,500. 

Section 3. There shall be elected annually nine Trustees, on the third Monday in May 
(a majority of whom shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business), a Treasurer and 
a Secretary, who shall be governed in their duties by this instrument and the by-laws and 
ordinances of the Society. 

Section 4. The Society shall have authority to make by-laws and ordinances for regu- 
lating the admission of new members to this Society; but no member shall be eligible to the 
office of Trustee, Treasurer, of Secretary unless he be a member in regular standing and com- 
munion with the Methodist Episcopal Church. 

Section 5. All officers who may be appointed by virtue of this constitution shall hold 
their offices until the third Monday in May in each year and until others shall be appointed in 
their places. 

Section 6. All deeds, titles, conveyances of all lands, tenements and hereditaments, and 
of all goods and chattels made to this Society shall be given to the Trustees (in trust for the 
Society), and all deeds, titles and conveyances of the like property from this Society shall be 
given by the Trustees, but no property of the Society shall be sold without their consent. 

Section 7. The first election of officers for this Society shall be held on the 21st day of 
March, 1822 ; and elections may be held at any time to supply vacancies, on public notice being 
given by the Trustees, and a majority of members present at any such meeting, or at any other 
meeting of the Society held pursuant to notice given as aforesaid, or at the annual election, shall 
constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. 

Section 8. It shall be competent for the Society, at any meeting held pursuant to notice 
given by the trustees as aforesaid, to levy such amount of tax or taxes as they may deem expedient, 
upon each and every member of this Society. 

Section 9. The Society shall have power to elect such other officers as may be deemed 
necessary for the transaction of business. 

(Signed,) Robert Abbott, Joseph Hickox, William Hickox, Joseph C. Corbus, Israel Noble, 
James Kapple, Nathaniel Champ, James L. Reed, John Ramsey, Joseph Donald, James Abbott, 
H. W. Johns, Edwin H. Goodwin, P. Warren, Jerry Dean, Joseph Hanchett, Robert P. Lewis, 
John Farmer. 

To this instrument the following approvals were appended: 

Detroit, March 21st, 1822. 
Michigan, to wit: 

I should greatly prefer the union of all Protestants under the name of Evangelical Churches, 
as adopted in Germany and Prussia at the third centennial anniversary, October 31st, 1817, to the 
retention of the existing sectarian distinctions. The objects,_ however, and the articles and condi- 
tions set forth and contained in this instrument are, in my opinion, lawful. 

(Signed,) A. B. WOODWARD, 
One of the Judges in and over the Territory of Michigan, and Presiding Judge of the Supreme Court 

thereof. 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 97 

Tuesday, May 14th, 1822. 
I have examined the foregoing instrument and consider it to be within the provisions of the 
act of the Governor and Judges of this Territory, entitled " An act to confer on certain associations 
the powers and immunities of corporations or bodies politic in law." 

(Signed,) J. WITHERELL. 
Territory of Michigan. 

I have perused and examined the foregoing instrument, and entertain no doubt of the law- 
fulness of the objects, articles and conditions therein set forth and contained; and do hereby certify 
the same pursuant to the statute. 

(Signed,) CHAS. LARNED, 
Attorney General, Michigan Territory. 

The preceding articles of association will be recorded by the Secretary of the Territory at 
the expense of the applicants. 

Detroit, May 17th, 1822. (Signed,) LEW. CASS, 

Governor of the Territory. 

Thus the Society has assumed a legal form and existence. This, 
however, was not the creation of the Church, as that had taken 
place long before, but it was only giving it a legal organization, so 
that they might hold property in law. It is both interesting and sad 
to mark, as we can in this case, the changes that take place in society 
in the space of a few years. At this present writing, (1877), a ^ tne 
Territorial officers who signed the approval of these articles of as- 
sociation, are dead. Of those who signed the articles of corporation 
none now reside in Detroit. William Hickox resides in Washtenaw 
County ; Joseph Hickox, Robert Abbott, William McCarty, Joseph 
C. Corbus, Philip Warren, Jerry Dean, Joseph Hanchett, Israel 
Noble and Nathaniel Champ, we know to have died in the faith and 
peace of the Gospel. John Farmer is deceased. Of the rest we 
can obtain no information, and cannot determine whether they are 
living or dead ; probably they are dead. 

At the meeting called May 20th, 1820, to petition for a lot, 
Samuel Davenport presided, and B. F. H. Witherell acted as Secre- 
tary. These seem not to have been present at the meeting in 1822. 
At this meeting a committee was appointed to make application 
to the Governor and Judges for a lot and also to circulate a subscip- 
tion to raise funds to build a house. That committee consisted of 
Robert Abbott, William W. Pettit and Samuel T. Davenport. Noth- 
ing was accomplished at this time, perhaps because they had not as 
yet been entirely shut out from other places. At the expiration of 
two years they seemed to have waked up in good earnest, as out of a 
deep sleep, and to have commenced active operations. A subscrip- 
tion was circulated, and such an amount obtained as that they felt 
warranted in commencing the work of building. A lot was obtained 
from the authorities who had the disposal of them, on the corner of 
Gratiot Avenue and Farrar Street, which at the time was entirely out 



98 HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

of the city. This was another of the great mistakes in regard to 
Methodism in this city. At this date in the history of this denomi- 
nation, it seemed to be the general policy to keep Methodism at 
such a distance from the people as to make it cost search and labor 
to find it. In accordance with this policy, Methodist churches of 
that day were generally located on the outskirts of towns, or a mile 
or two in the country. In the present instance, they might just as 
well have had a lot in the midst of the city as to have taken the one 
they did. But they were so modest as to wish to get away from the 
public gaze as much as possible. This lot was taken greatly to the 
damage of their cause in the city. They saw this mistake when it 
was too late to correct the whole of the mischief, and yet in time to 
recover in part. When they saw their mistake and applied to the 
city authorities for another location, they were told that that was one 
of their own choosing, and that they must be content with it or pay 
the full price for another. The authorities were not to blame for 
that. In the summer of 1823 they commenced the erection of a 
building, but the subscription was exhausted before the walls were 
completed. It was of brick. It is said that the prospect was that it 
would stand during the winter without a roof, which would nearly 
ruin the walls, as it was now late in the fall, and there were no means 
of completing them. In this state of facts, the legend is that the 
mechanics of the city combined and completed this work on a Sab- 
bath day, without having consulted the Society. They chose the 
Sabbath because they thought they could not afford to give the time 
on any other day. If the Society had been consulted, of course they 
would have refused to have the work done on the Sabbath. The 
building being secured in this way it remained unfinished and unused 
for several years — indeed, it was never finished. This was the 
second Methodist Church in Michigan. Alfred Brunson was the minis- 
ter here when this work of building was begun. Precisely how long 
the building stood thus. unused is not material, only it was not usable 
except in warm weather, as late as 1825 and 1826; for in the au- 
tumn of 1825, William Simmons was appointed to the Detroit station, 
and also in charge of Detroit District. He states that the Method- 
ists held their meetings in " the old Academy," while he was the 
minister, and that they were very much annoyed in the evenings by 
the choir of another Church holding a singing school in the upper 
room of the building. Yet, occasionally, the Master of Assemblies 
manifested himself in the conversion of some soul, when they made 
noise sufficient to overcome the singing above. Having been de- 
prived of the occupancy of the common church, as before stated, 






HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 99 

and now annoyed in this manner, one would have supposed that they 
might be left to themselves to get along as well as they could, but 
this was not the fact ; for when any one who could afford them any 
influence or pecuniary aid was converted among them, every possible 
effort was made to proselyte them away. Still they struggled on and 
finally succeeded, as will hereafter appear. Mr. Simmons remained 
only one year. In the spring of 1826 he made a trip as far west as 
Ann Arbor and preached, also at Ypsilanti. He found a desperate 
road, but had the pleasure of marrying two daughters of Deacon 
Maynard, at Mallet's Creek, between Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti. 
But he made no successful effort to fit the church for use. The above 
we have obtained from Mr. Simmons himself. 

This church was partially finished in 1826 and 1827, so that it 
could be occupied. It was occasionally occupied in warm weather 
from the time it was enclosed. It continued to be occupied in an 
unfinished state until Methodism had nearly died out in its influence. 
It became known, finally, as "the old brick church on the common." 
During the spring of 1825 Elias Pattee, who was preacher in charge, 
was permitted to travel as far east as New York City, to raise funds 
to finish this house. He was absent about three months, and was so 
successful in his mission, that when the Trustees came to settle with 
him, they found that after applying all collections and donations, to- 
wards defraying his traveling expenses, which they had agreed to 
pay, they owed him two dollars and a half. 

The circunstances were now very discouraging indeed. It is a 
wonder they did not give up in despair. Nothing but a love for the 
principles of the Church could have induced men to continue in this 
organization under these circumstances. But they loved the cause, 
and were determined to hold to it, let what would come. Such noble 
adherance deserves success, and will finally have it. It is said that an 
offer of a subscription of five hundred dollars was made by one man, 
besides some other large ones, if they would build in an eligible posi- 
tion and with pews to rent. This would have furnished them with 
a good house, free from debt. But these offers, on such conditions, 
were spurned, as being such a departure from " old-fashioned Meth- 
odism," as not to be tolerated for a single moment. We admire their 
firm attachment to what they regarded as principle, but not their 
judgment ; for Methodism has ever been the child of Providence, 
and in certain externals, not affecting vital principles, has adapted it- 
self to the times and places. Had this offer been accepted, we can- 
not tell what would have been the effect upon the Church in this 
community. As it was, under the combined influence of an unior- 



IOO HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

tunate location — "on the commons" — and an unfinished church, they 
made no progress, but became " beautifully less," until they became 
nearly extinct in their influence on the community. No improvement 
of any importance was made until they sold out and built a new 
church at the corner of Woodward Avenue and Congress Street. 
"The old brick church on the common" was used, as much and as 
well as they could, for one decade, as they began to use it in 1824, 
and left it in 1834, for the new frame one. Their new church was 
commenced in 1833, and dedicated to the worship of Almighty God, 
in 1834, and served them well until 1849, when, having purchased a 
lot, at the corner of Woodward Avenue and State Street, and having 
erected a larger and more elegant church, they left this and occupied 
the new. The new one, by the way, was built with pews to rent. 
At the same time, having sold their lot at the corner of Woodward 
Avenue and Congress Street, they removed the old frame building 
to the corner of Lafayette Avenue and Fourth Street, where they 
had procured a lot, and fitted it up for a new congregation, which 
was organized in the autumn of 1849, and they continued to worship 
in the same "old house" until 1873, when they built a new one. 

" That old brick church on the common" has had quite an event- 
ful history. Having been sold, it was for a time converted into a 
Universalist Church. But that society did not succeed, and it was 
soon disposed of again. It is rather a singular fact that, Universal- 
ism has never been able to maintain an organized existence in this 
city. After a little time, " the old brick church" was converted into 
a theater, and was so used for a little while. But a theater cannot 
flourish " on the common," much better than a church, and it was aban- 
doned. "The old brick church " had now to pass into other hands, 
and was converted into a dwelling house, and is now used as such. 
Thus ends the history of the second Methodist church erected in 
Michigan. 

It is a singular and significant fact that, in the space of seven- 
teen or eighteen years from the time this locality was abandoned, 
as being too far out of town, the same Society should get back to 
within a few rods of it ; and that the First Presbyterian Church 
should have removed onto Gratiot Avenue, still nearer to it. This 
only shows what mutations may take place in this changing world. 

After this long digression, it is time to return to the direct line 
of our narrative. It has before been stated that, at the Conference 
held in 1824, Elias Pattee and Isaac C. Hunter were appointed to 
Detroit Circuit. As yet, there was but one charge in Michigan. 
We have before said a few things in regard to the senior preacher, 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. IOI 

so we pass that over now. But we may be permitted to make a few 
observations, in this connection, in relation to the junior, Isaac C. 
Hunter. He was a man of considerable talent, a little eccentric in 
his manners, and at this time was not very pious. The preceding 
year he and his colleague, on a Circuit in Ohio, became involved in a 
newspaper controversy which, though it began with fictitious names, 
without one knowing who the other was, became very personal and 
acrimonious ; and when they ascertained who the parties were they 
did not abate in their acrimony In consequence of this fact, Mr. 
Hunter supposed he was sent to Michigan as a kind of punishment 
for his course the previous year. We said, therefore, he was not 
very pious. He was much chafed in his feelings and made no special 
effort to please the people. The result was, his labors were not very 
satisfactory to the people, nor very successful. He was just in that 
frame of mind which would be likely to make the people dislike him. 

On one occasion some of the lower sort of people concluded 
they would show their spite at him by inflicting an insult upon his 
unoffending horse. This occured in the vicinity of Mount Clemens. 
They went into the stable at night and cut the hair from the mane 
and tail of the animal. Next morning, when the young preacher 
went into the stable to look after his horse, he found the innocent 
animal in that sad plight. He was in no frame of mind to pass off 
such a matter with apparent good humor ; but he blustered a good 
deal about it, which was a source of much gratification to those who 
had committed the outrage. Such an affair, if passed off with good 
humor, unless one can bring the offenders to punishment, always 
brings shame upon those who commit the act and credit to those to- 
ward whom it was directed. 

A case of an attempt to play off some fun at the expense of 
two ministers in a small town in Ohio, some years ago, will serve to 
illustrate. The wags of the town determined to elect the two resi- 
dent ministers to a menial office. They succeeded in electing one 
of them as path-master and the other as fence-viewer. The former 
said a good deal about the matter, and said he regarded it as an in- 
tended insult. This was rare satisfaction for them, for it was what 
they wanted, to make him feel bad. The other coolly took the law, 
ascertained what were the duties of his office, quietly had a measur 
~<ng rod made, and immediately set about measuring all the fences in 
town. Wherever he found a fence too low or otherwise defective, 
according to law, he made them repair it, so that by this means al- 
most all the fences in town were renovated. In this way he made 
them heartily ashamed of what they had done. Had Mr. Hunter 



102 HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

adopted this independent course he would have made them ashamed 
of themselves. He had to go to Detroit. When he came near the 
city he sought a way around to reach the residence of Robert Ab- 
bott, which then was some distance below the city. For fear that 
some one would see the condition of his horse, he took his large 
cloak and spread it all over the hind part of the animal so as to hide 
the artificial deformity. Mr. Hunter is dead, now, but he became 
more pious in after years. We refer to a future chapter for a fuller 
notice of Mr. Hunter's life and labors. 

Nothing of special interest was accomplished in the city this 
year. At the end of the year — that is, in September, 1825 — they re- 
ported two hundred and forty-two members for this Circuit. This 
was just the number reported the previous year. They had no in- 
crease. How could they have? These were all the members there 
were in the Territory of Michigan; but not all the Christians, as other 
Churches were being organized, and growing. 

It will not be amiss, nor will it be displeasing to any, to introduce 
an incident or two which occured about these days, just here, by way 
of relieving the tedium of the narrative of the fortunes of the Church. 
The name of Joseph Hickox has already become very familiar to the 
reader, but still we must say a few things more about him, or rather 
introduce him to notice again. The fact is, he is so intimately inter- 
woven with our early History that he must have frequent notices. 
Although he had settled his family on a farm on the River Rouge, 
about sixteen miles from Detroit, his familiarity with the frontier 
work and his itinerant spirit and habits kept him almost constantly 
on the move to visit destitute places. He raised up a Society in his 
own neighborhood, and penetrating the woods to the northeast of 
his residence, he succeeded in producing a blessed revival, which 
resulted in the formation of a large Society which afterwards 
became an important one in the Circuit. 

Mr. Hickox visited Detroit frequently. During these visits a 
rather strange intimacy sprang up between himself and the Roman 
Catholic priest at Detroit, Mr. Richard. This priest was a perfect 
gentleman and a fine scholar, very shrewd and diligent in making 
proselytes to his Church. It was this last feature in his character 
that laid the foundation of their acquaintance, as he very much de- 
sired to gain Mr. Hickox to his faith. He left word, at a certain 
time, with one of Mr. Hickox's friends that he would be glad to re- 
ceive a visit from him on his next visit to Detroit. On learning the 
fact he rather avoided the meeting, knowing that the priest was a 
thoroughly educated man and he, himself, had only such knowledge 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. IO3 

as could be picked up in a few years of toil as an itinerant preacher. 
One Sabbath afternoon, however, he stepped into his church and 
heard him preach, upon which all his fears of meeting him were 
dissipated. The next day Mr. Hickox called to see him, and was 
received with all the politeness of which a Frenchman is capable of 
exhibiting — which, by the way, cannot be exceeded by any other peo- 
ple. The following conversation then ensued : 

Mr. Hickox — "I was to hear you preach yesterday." 

Priest — "Ah! I did not know you were present." 

H. — "Mr. Richard, you stated yesterday that Protestants say 
that Catholics were once right, but are not what they were once. 
But when we ask them in what and when we have changed, they are 
dumb. Now, I am not dumb, but I can tell you both in what and 
when you have deviated." 

Priest — "In what have we changed?" 

H. — "In the doctrine of transubstantiation. That was not known 
in your Church for three hundred years after Christ, and was not an 
article of faith until the sixth century. It was contested for three 
hundred years by the most learned of the Fathers." 

Priest — "I acknowledge this to be so, but it was always an 
article of faith in reality though not in form." 

H. — " Do you believe it?" 

Priest — " I do." 

H. — "What Is soul? Is it not the intelligent part of man?" 

Priest — " It is." 

H. — " Does, then, the lifeless lump of matter become, by your 
consecration, an intelligent being? If so, it is capable of being 
taught. Go and teach it. But do you not consecrate more wafers 
than are received by communicants, Mr. Richard?" 

Priest—" I do." 

H. — "And each one is a perfect God?" 

Priest — " Yes." 

H. — " Cannot cats and mice, and such animals, feed on them?" 

Priest — " They can." 

H. — " Then, if the cat has swallowed the Deity she must have 
eternal life in hen What an absurd idea!" 

Here Mr Richard colored as if displeased, but made no reply. 
The subject was still pursued but he would only say, with a bland 
smile, " Mr. Hickox, you are the first Protestant preacher I ever con- 
versed with. I must say, it is a mystery." 

After this they had frequent and friendly interviews, he urging 
Mr. Hickox to call every time he came to town. On one or two 



104 HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

occasions he tried, very politely, to bow Mr. Hickox into the Romish 
Church and priesthood, telling him that his fortune would be made ; 
that he could live like a gentleman, and never soil his hands again. 
To which Mr. Hickox responded that he would gladly join him if he 
could remove his objections to his Church. To which Mr. Richard 
replied, " I have not tried yet." "Well," said Mr. Hickox, "try now. 
If you believe me to be on the road to damnation — certain to be 
lost, out of your Church — it is your duty to convince me and save 
me now, if you can. I may not live to see you again." He only gave 
his shoulders a peculiar shrug and remained silent. 

On another occasion Mr. Hickox was passing his house and felt 
suddenly moved to call, not knowing what topic to introduce. Mr. 
Richard met him very cordially, at the door, when Mr. Hickox re- 
marked, " Mr. Richard, I did not intend to call but felt suddenly im- 
pressed to ask you a question." 

Mr. Richard (quickly,) — "What is it! Ask it, do." 

H. — " Were you ever born again! Did you ever see the time 
when you were in a justified relation in the sight of Heaven?" 

R. — "Never! Never!" 

H. — "Then I must tell you what the Scriptures say of you." 

R. — " What do they say?" 

H. — "That you are a blind leader of the blind, and that both will 
fall into the ditch. You say you are leading a number of people in 
the way to heaven, and yet you do not know the way yourself. Now 
get converted yourself, in the name of God, sir, and then you will 
be a safe guide to your people. That is all I have to say. Good 
bye, sir." So he left him. 

At another time, when the same topic had been under discus- 
sion between them, as he left the room a young man who was study- 
ing theology with the priest followed Mr. Hickox out and said he 
knew that his (Mr. Hickox's) doctrine was true — that we must be 
born again ; and that he was resolved to seek the salvation of his 
soul by coming to the Saviour alone. He gave every evidence of 
sincerity, but his death occurred shortly after and nothing could be 
learned of his state of mind after that conversation. 

These incidents are characteristic of the tact and talent of Mr. 
Hickox. His friend, Mr. Richard, was a talented and well educated 
Jesuit, but Mr. Hickox was too much for him in argument and could 
vanquish him every time. These doctrinal discussions do not seem 
to have produced any beneficial results on the mind of the priest, 
but they probably were the means of the conversion of the young 
man mentioned above. As the name of Mr. Richard, the Catholic 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. IO5 

priest, has occurred several times in our narrative, it may not be 
amiss to furnish, just here, a somewhat extended account of his life 
and labors. This we shall produce mainly from the official memoir : 
" Among the distinguished names that adorn the annals of Catholicity 
in the United States of America is that of the Very Rev. Gabriel 
Richard, pastor of St Ann's Church, Detroit, Michigan. He was 
born at Saintes, in France, on the 15th of October, 1764, of highly 
respectable parents. His mother, it is said, was a kinswoman of the 
illustrious Bossuet. Having finished his classical education, and feel- 
ing called to the ecclesiastical state, he entered the Seminary of 
Angers, where he prosecuted his theological studies." He was admit- 
ted to the priesthood in 1 791, and shortly afterwards came to Amer- 
ica. He arrived in Baltimore, Md., June 24th, 1792. He expected 
to have been employed as a teacher in a seminary in Baltimore; but 
that not being well enough established to need his services, he went 
to Illinois and the Northwest, where he found much need of labor, 
as, according to his account, there was a very low state of morals. 
The population was made up, principally, of Canadian French. Of 
the congregation at Kaskaskia, he gives the following description : 
" The people of this post are the worst in all Illinois. There is no 
religion among them — scarcely any one attending mass, even on Sun- 
day. Intemperance, debauchery and idleness reign supreme." In 
1 798 he was invited by Bishop Carroll to be the assistant of Rev. 
Mr. Levadoux, at Detroit. He, therefore, left Illinois and arrived at 
Detroit in June, 1798, "and entered at once upon his duties as assist- 
ant pastor of that place, and soon won the confidence of those 
under his spiritual charge. At that time the jurisdiction of the pas- 
tor of Detroit extended over various places now embraced within 
the limits of Michigan and Wisconsin. The entire Catholic popu- 
lation of these districts did not amount to more than five or six 
thousand souls. The Catholics of Detroit and its vicinity consisted, 
almost exclusively, of Canadian French. Mr. Richard had but little 
opportunity of exercising himself in the English language, the study 
of which he had undertaken with great zeal in order to increase his 
usefulness. The inhabitants of the city were mostly persons whose 
vernacular tongue was English, but there were not more than a dozen 
among them who were Catholics. About a year after his arrival in 
Michigan, Mr. Richard visited the Catholics on the Island of Michil- 
imackinac, about twenty miles from the former Michilimackinac, or 
Point St. Ignatius, where the Jesuit fathers had established a mission 
more than a hundred years before. 

" Mr. Richard's zeal for the welfare of his flock inspired him with 



106 HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

the idea of establishing a printing press at Detroit, and publishing a 
newspaper. This project he undertook in 1809, and for a time he 
issued a periodical in French, entitled ' Essai du Michigain;' but the 
great distances which separated the people of the Territory, and the 
irregularity of the mails led to the discontinuance of his journal. His 
press, however, which was the first one introduced into the north- 
western part of the United States, and was for several years the 
only printing apparatus in Michigan, did useful service under his 
direction." 

Mr. Richard continued his relation to the Church in Detroit 
until his death, which took place in 1832. He died of cholera, on 
its first visitation at Detroit. 

He had served for one term as Delegate in Congress from the 
Territory of Michigan, having been elected to that office in 1823. 
He did good service for his constituents while there. 




HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. IOJ 



CHAPTER VI. 

Population — Difficulties of Settlement — Detroit District — Appointments — The Men — Numbers 
— Extent of Circuit — Abel Warren — Appointments for 1826 — Numbers — Baughman is Mar- 
ried — Society in Ann Arbor — Supply, 1827 — Coston — John Janes is Married — Geography 
of Circuits — The District — Coston Visits Southwestern Michigan — St. Joseph Mission — God- 
dard — Names of Circuits — Ministers from Ohio--People from the East — Ministers — Circuits 
— Results — Mary Keeler — Eli Hubbard — An Infidel — A Neglecter Comes to a Bad End — 
Curious Case — Incidents of Rowdies — "The Power" — Major Maxwell — One Visit — Appoint- 
ments for 1831 — Tecumseh Circuit — Kalamazoo — Increase — Black Hawk War — Love 
Feast and Sacrament in Jackson and Marshall — Cholera — Camp Meeting — Charges in 
1832 — First Ministers Raised Up — L. Davis — Indian Settlement — Numbers — Charges, 1834 — 
Increase of the Work— Sunday Schools — Temperance — Literary Institution — Retrospect. 

j^HUS far in our narrative we have had only one charge to look 
after, and that one charge attached to a distant District, 
so that it could receive very little assistance or encourage- 
ment from a Presiding Elder. This fact, however much to 
W be regretted, cannot be charged to any fault of the Church 
authorities. The simple fact was, the population of the 
Territory had increased so slowly that it had not demanded 
much more ministerial labor. The census of 1810 showed 
only 4,762 inhabitants, and in 1820 only 8,896, a very slow increase. 
A very large proportion of these were French Roman Catholics, and 
could not be reached by our ministry, however many we might have 
had in the field. If we had had missionary money, so that a man 
might have confined his labors to the city, it is very likely that much 
more might have been gained. But that we had not. Indeed, if we 
had had the Missionary Society, and if the treasury thereof had been 
well supplied, it is not likely that much of it would have been appro- 
priated to Michigan, because the future importance of the country, 
and of the City of Detroit was not recognized. This is not much to 




IOS HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

be wondered at, as so little was known of either its topography or 
geology that it was supposed the country could never bear a dense 
population, and consequently the city would be merely a trading 
post Up to the period at which this chapter begins, but very few 
had penetrated beyond the timbered belt which lies along the coast 
on the east, and they knew nothing of the capabilities and resources 
of the country. The very few who had gone beyond had very erro- 
neous ideas of the soil. The timber was so different from what they 
had found elsewhere, and the characteristics of the soil, too, that they 
thought it would not be productive for any length of time. It was 
understood to be a swampy, marshy, barren country, fit for little else 
than hunting grounds for the Indians. Indeed, the Indians were so 
numerous that it seemed discouraging to the whites to think of set- 
tling here. Again, the means of reaching the country was such that 
it required a great deal of courage or spirit of adventure to come. 
There had been no steam craft on the lakes earlier than 1819; and 
then for many years they were of such an inferior kind that, still, the 
means of access was very poor. In order to come in from the south 
with teams, a dismal swamp had to be passed through, and it looked 
fearful to undertake it. One other circumstance operated to retard 
settlement and tended to depreciate the importance of Detroit and 
the whole of Michigan, that was, in its first settlement there was a 
great deal of the ague and fever — it was regarded a sickly country. 
With all these facts in view, it is not much a matter of wonder that 
a greater interest in the religious supply of the country was not 
taken. We, however, have arrived at a period when the population 
is more rapidly increasing, as, according to the census for 1830, we 
had increased to 31,639, and this demanded more ministerial labor; 
still we had not learned the importance of concentration, and our men 
undertook to "grasp in all the shore," and to meet every call. They 
showed great zeal and perseverance, and had as good success as 
could reasonably be expected from such diffusive labors. From this 
time forward our charges are to increase in numbers. 

At the session of the Ohio Conference which was held at Co- 
lumbus, Ohio, beginning October 12th, 1825, Detroit District was 
created, embracing Detroit City Station and Detroit Circuit, in Michi- 
gan, and Fort Defiance, and Wyandotte Missions, in Ohio. We 
now have to do only with the two former appointments, as the other 
two lie out of our limits. William Simmons was appointed in charge 
o the District, and also of the City Station. We suppose he was not 
expected to visit the two missions in Ohio. John A. Baughma?i and 
Solomon Manier were appointed to Detroit Circuit. There had been 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. IO9 

a Presbyterian Church organized in Detroit this year,* and one in 
Monroe some time previous to this ; also a Protestant Episcopal 
Church in Detroit, and a Baptist Church in Oakland County. A Pres- 
byterian Church had been organized at Mackinaw ; so the ministerial 
force, on the whole, has been considerably augmented. From this 
time onward we have a gradual expansion of our work for a few 
years, after which it enlarges much more rapidly, as the tide of immi- 
gration had set in more strongly in this direction. 

Mr. Simmons was a young man, vigorous and active, and did 
good service. He remained here only one year. Mr. Baughman 
was well known in after years, and was remembered in all this coun- 
try for his earnest and zealous labors. Mr. Manier was also a young 
man — was of pleasing address and possessed good abilities. He 
did not, however, have as much activity and energy as his col- 
league. He remained on the Circuit but one year and then returned 
to Ohio, where he continued to labor in connection with the Ohio 
Conference until 1834, when he located — dissolved his connection 
with the itinerancy. The results of the labors of this year are sum- 
med up in the following returns of members as made to the Confer- 
ence in 1826, viz : 

Detroit City, 70 ; Detroit Circuit, "290 — a total of 360, which 
was a net increase of one hundred and thirty-eight members. 

The work had been extended, by the indefatigable labors of 
these active, persevering young men, into all the settlements which 
had sprung into existence in the growing country. Why the 
Circuit was called Detroit we are not able to determine. In the re- 
port of the membership at the Conference for 1826, is the first time 
we have a distinct and separate report of the members belonging in 
the City of Detroit. The Circuit included all of Michigan except the 
city. A Society had been formed at Ypsilanti ; in the Township of 
Troy, in Oakland County ; in the town of Washington, in Macomb 
County ; and Blissfield, in Lenawee County, was also visited. Mr. 
Baughman went as far west as Ann Arbor, which was just coming 
into existence, and preached a few times. 

The most important Society in the Circuit was at the log meet- 
ing-house on the Rouge. Here " the joyful sound of the preaching 
of the Gospel, of prayer and hymns of praise, had been heard, some- 
times mingled with the doleful howl of the wolf." But the glory of 
this Society had already begun to wane, from internal dissensions 
and from the changes in inhabitants, and soon after, this Society was 
discontinued. Another green spot on this Circuit was on the Rouge, 

•Noah M. Wells. 



I IO HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

a little farther west, where Mr. Hickox resided. To perform the 
rounds on this Circuit required a great deal of toilsome, lonesome 
labor, and to accomplish them was attended with much exposure to 
storms, and occasional lodgings in the woods. 

In October, 1826, Zarah H. Coston was appointed Presiding 
Elder of Detroit District and also in charge of Detroit Station. The 
other appointments for the year were as follows, viz : Detroit Circuit, 
John Janes ; Monroe, John A. Baughman ; St. Clair, James T. Don- 
ahoo. We now have four charges — a greater division of the work, 
but only an increase of one to the working force. These four men 
had an extensive work on their hands, attended with many priva- 
tions and much toil ; for with the increase of charges there was no 
diminution of labor and suffering to each, as they had to extend their 
labors to the new settlements which had been made in the wilder- 
ness. But they addressed themselves to their work with warm 
hearts and strong wills, and when they went up to the Conference 
in September, 1827, and numbered up the hosts of our Israel, they 
reported members as follows, viz : Detroit City, seventy ; Detroit 
Circuit, two hundred and twenty-six ; Monroe, one hundred and fifty- 
seven ; and St. Clair, thirty. Here we have an aggregate of four 
hundred and eighty-three, being a net increase of one hundred and 
twenty-three on the whole ; but no increase in the City Station. We 
have already seen that the cause in the city labored under great 
disadvantages on account of the location of the church. 

It will be allowed, to state that one of our precious jewels was 
captured and carried off to Ohio this year. John A. Baughman had 
married Mrs. Sarah H. Baker, at Monroe, a very capable and effi- 
cient Christian laborer — a lady of much intelligence and activity in 
the cause of Christ. But what we lose in Michigan the cause some- 
where else gains ; so we must be content. At the earnest solicita- 
tion of two young ladies who had recently settled there, a Society 
had been organized at Ann Arbor, this year, by Mr. Baughman, un- 
der the direction of the Presiding Elder. 

Who shall next cultivate this enlarging and important field ? In- 
deed, it was difficult to estimate its importance, or to impress it upon 
the authorities of the Church, who were to assign the supply ; for, al- 
though the people in their destitution received with kind attentions 
any one who was sent to them in the name of the Lord, the foun- 
dations of society were to be laid ; and men of sound minds and of 
discretion, as well as of Christian zeal and piety, were needed. The 
work for the next year was we] 1 supplied, as will appear from the list 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. I I I 

of appointments. The Conference met in September, 1827, at which 
time the work was supplied as follows, viz : 

Detroit District, Zarah H. Coston, Presiding Elder, who also 
had charge of the City Station as before. Detroit Circuit, William 
Runnels, John Janes; Monroe, George W. Walker, James Armstrong. 
St. Clair seems to have been given up this year as a separate 
charge, probably because the promise of doing good did not bear 
any proportion to the sacrifice necessary to keep it up. These were 
all men of fine preaching abilities. 

The settlements were now rapidly increasing, as before shown 
from the census for 1830, and consequently the work was much ex- 
tended. At the close of this year, it appears we had lost five in the 
City of Detroit, and had on the aggregate gained only sixty-two 
members. 

Mr. Coston was a faithful, good man, and an excellent preacher. 
If he had had a fair chance he would have advanced the cause great- 
ly ; but the disadvantages were more than a match for him. There 
were, however, a few faithful men and women who would not yield 
to the discouragements that were existing around them. They had 
identified themselves with the fortunes of this Church, because they 
believed that it was right, and, therefore, would not forsake it in the 
days of its trial. Among these we may name Amy Witherell, Sally 
Noble, Jerry Dean, Nancy Howard, John Owen, Philip Warren, 
Nathaniel Champ, B. F. H. Witherell, and others of whom we have 
spoken elsewhere. 

This year another of our interesting and valuable ladies was 
married and taken away from us. Rev. John Janes married Miss 
Hannah B. Brown, of Ann Arbor. She was a very talented and well 
educated lady, and was the chief agent in securing the organization 
of the Society there the year before. She was a young lady of deep, 
thorough Christian experience, and could illy be spared from the 
feeble Society in Ann Arbor, but her sphere of usefulness was to be 
enlarged and she joined the itinerant ranks. We will furnish a fuller 
notice of this lady in connection with Ann Arbor. 

We have been quite minute in our details thus far, because the 
work was confined to so few charges. Probably it will not be dis- 
pleasing to continue this minuteness a little longer. At the session 
of the Conference which met at Chillicothe, Ohio, September 18th, 
1828, the following appointments were made for Michigan, viz: 

Detroit District — Zarah H. Coston, Presiding Elder. 

Detroit City — Arza Brown. 

Oakland — William T. Snow. 



* J 2 HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

Huron — Benjamin Cooper. 

Monroe — George W. Walker. 

St. Clair — Elias Pattee. 

It will be seen that the work had been extended to such a 
degree as to render it important that the Presiding Elder should 
devote his whole time to the interests of the District, and not divide 
his labors between that and the city. The men were all young, ex- 
cept Mr. Pattee, and unaccustomed to the administration of discipline, 
and only two of them were authorized to administer the sacrament 
of the Lord's Supper. In view of these two facts, it was necessary 
that the Presidihg Elder should visit each quarterly meeting, a thing 
he could not do and attend to the interests of the City Station. 
Though he had but five charges, his time was well filled up and thor- 
oughly occupied. 

It is proper here to furnish the geography of these charges, as 
they now appear in our list. The City of Detroit is well enough 
known not to need any further notice at this time, but not so with 
the others. Oakland was so named from Oakland County, and 
included all the settlements in Wayne County north of Detroit, 
all of Oakland and Macomb Counties. There were considerable 
settlements at Troy, Bloomfield, Perrin's, Farmington, Pontiac, 
Auburn, and some other places in this county, and a log meeting 
house a little northeast of Pontiac, known as Donation Chapel. In 
Macomb County, Mount Clemens, Romeo, Washington or Shelby, 
where Abel Warren lived, and Utica were the most noteworthy 
places. The topography of this Circuit was quite interesting in con- 
templation, but not so much so in the actual survey by the itinerant 
ministers ; for they had to plod through deep mud and explore the 
swamps to meet their appointments. Much of this Circuit was in 
heavy timbered land, and the roads were not made, only blazed out. 

Huron Circuit was so named from the Huron River along which 
it lay, and included that part of Wayne County lying west of the city 
and watered by the River Rouge. The principal appointments in 
this county were the old log meeting house, Hickox's, Nankin and 
Plymouth at Paul Hazen's. It also included Washtenaw County. 
As yet there was nothing beyond that. The principal settlements 
were Ypsilanti, Ann Arbor, Boyden's Plains, Dixboro, Superior, 
and Lodi Plains. There were many smaller settlements interme- 
diate to these, which were faithfully visited and supplied with the 
word of life, furnishing labor for nearly every day in the week. This 
name rightly disappears from our records after the next year, and 
Ann Arbor takes its place, and covering more territory as the settle- 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 1 1 3 

ments were pushed farther into the woods. This year the appoint- 
ments were visited once in three weeks, by hard travel and much 
toil and weariness. But the people, at least many of them, were 
hungry for the bread of life. 

Monroe Circuit included the south part of the County of 
Wayne and all of Monroe and Lenawee Counties. Flat Rock, 
Monroe, Raisinville, Ten Mile Creek, Maumee Rapids in Ohio, Ked- 
zie's Grove, and Tecumseh, were the chief points of interest at this 
time. Much of this Circuit was very difficult of travel on account of 
the swamps and marshes. It was no holiday sport to make the 
rounds on it. 

The most isolated and desolate charge of the whole was St. 
Clair. This lay along the St. Clair River, embracing Algonac, 
Marine City, St. Clair and Port Huron, with some small settlements 
back from the river. The people were few, and most of them had 
no respect for religion or ministers, and it was then separated almost 
entirely from the rest of the world. A Society had been formed, 
some time before, at what is now Algonac, and this was the chief 
point of interest in the Circuit. The Society had been organized by 
a preacher from Canada. (See St. Clair.) 

Thus we have given an outline of the settlements in Michigan 
at the time of which we write. Everything was new and uninviting, 
and offered to these ministers little besides toil and suffering. The 
unbridged streams had to be forded or swum, and they had to wal- 
low through the marshes and swales. Occasionally, as they passed 
around, as was the case with Walker on Monroe Circuit, when the 
water was high, slightly frozen, and bridges gone, they would be 
obliged to plunge in at the peril of life and limb. All this from a 
love of souls. Of course this kind of labor and of peril was not pe- 
culiar to this country, but they are incidental to all new countries. 
Some of the incidents of travel and suffering we shall notice here- 
after. 

Detroit District embraced all the settlements there were in 
Michigan, and so continued until the autumn of 1835, except a little 
of the southwest corner, which in 1832 was attached to the Indiana 
Conference. In 1835 the work had so much enlarged that Ann 
Arbor District was created, embracing all the Territory west of 
Ypsilanti. 

For the last few years there had been settlements springing up 
in the southwest part of the Territory, the people coming in from 
Virginia, Ohio and Indiana. They had now become sufficiently nu- 
merous for the organization of a county, and to send a Represent- 



114 HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

ative to the Legislative Council of the Territory. But they were 
destitute of Gospel privileges. The Representative called on Mr. 
Coston, in Detroit, and set forth their condition and requested him 
to assist them, and, if possible, to make arrangements for supplying 
them in future. In accordance with this solicitation, in the summer 
of 1829 he went, spending about three weeks among them. He 
went as far as Niles. He made arrangements to send them a mis- 
sionary, which was done, as will appear from the list of appointments 
for the next year. 

The brethren toiled hard and faithfully, and when the next 
Conference met in September, 1829, and they numbered up the 
membership, it stood as follows : Detroit, yS ; Oakland. 246 ; 
Huron, 161 ; Monroe, 86 ; St. Clair, 49 — total, 620. This shows an 
increase of thirteen for the city and seventy -Jive for the whole work 
over last year. This is the last time we purpose to give the statis- 
tics in detail. Neither do we purpose to introduce the list of ap- 
pointments in the same manner again but once in the body of the 
work. We purpose to take occasion, at some appropriate time and 
place, to furnish minute and interesting accounts of the principal 
places, and the rise and progress of the cause of religion in them. 

It will not be necessary to refer again to the work in the City 
of Detroit until after the close of this period, and it is sufficient now 
to say that the work has been regularly supplied, and our cause has 
gradually advanced in the city and assumed a permanency, and in- 
creased in interest, so that in 1836 we fai& one hundred and fifty- 
nine members returned for the city. They had, also, as before stated, 
changed the location of their church, and had erected a very neat, 
even elegant church for the times ; so that, in this respect, they were 
nearly on an equal footing with any other church in the city. The 
Sabbath school was large and flourishing. 

At the Conference in 1829 St. Joseph Mission was added to the 
list of appointments. This Mission embraced all the settlements in 
the southwest part of the Territory. The principal point of interest 
at this time was White Pigeon. Erastus Felton, who was appointed 
to this Mission, labored faithfully and visited all the scattered settle- 
ments he could, and formed a number of small Societies, and returned 
seventy-six members at the next Conference as the result. Some 
had been converted, and many of them had been members else- 
where and had their certificates with them. How many of these 
new homes were made glad by the visits of this indefatigable mis- 
sionary! He was a man of zeal and respectable preaching talents. 

There was also a change in Presiding Elders this year — 1829. 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. I I 5 

Mr.Coston was transferred to the Pittsburgh Conference, and Curtis 
Goddard, a most excellent and worthy man, was appointed in charge 
of the District. He continued in charge for three years. Mr. Goddard 
joined the itinerant connection in 1814, and located in 1834, having 
labored in connection with the Conference just twenty years. He 
was a very devout, holy and exemplary man and excellent preacher, 
and did much good in this District. 

This year there was an increase of two handred and five in the 
membership — so their labors " were not in vain in the Lord." This, 
however, was not any more than keeping pace with the population. 
As the Circuits were named for the counties or rivers, there will be 
a change in their names from time to time, and some of the names 
of this date will be entirely forgotten in this relation ; as Huron 
does "ot appear again and Oakland will be lost in a few years more ; 
St. Joseph, though now so important, will lose its identity in a little 
while. We cannot complain of this, for it is right. 

In the following year — 1830 — there was a general change of the 
ministers. The ministers appointed to this Territory did not, any of 
them, feel themselves identified with the interests of the Territory, 
and were here simply because they were appointed by the authori- 
ties of the Church. This was a little unfavorable to the interests of 
religion. They all came from Ohio, too, while a very large propor- 
tion of the settlers were from the East, making some difference in 
manners and customs between the ministers and the people. It was 
a very common thing in these early days — and, indeed, for a number 
of years later — in love-feasts and class-meetings, to speak of the time 
when they were converted " down in Old York State." Many of 
these Eastern people sighed for their old preachers, and some efforts 
were made to induce some of them to emigrate to this country, with 
but little success. As yet, none had been raised up here. 

For the year beginning in September, 1830, the appointments 
stood as follows, viz : 

Detroit District — Curtis Goddard, Presiding Elder. 

Detroit City — Alvan Billings. 

Oakland — Arza Brown, William Sprague. 

Ann Arbor- — Henry Colclazer, Elijah H. Pilcher. 

Monroe — James W. Finley. 

St. Clair — Benjamin Cooper. 

St. Joseph — Leonard B. Gurley, Erastus Felton. 

By this list there appears to be no increase in the number of 
charges, but there was an increase of three in the number of men 
to supply them. There had been, also, within a few years last 



1 1 6 HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

passed, an increase of the force of local preachers, who were ren- 
dering very efficient service, among whom were Marcus Swift, in 
the Town of Nankin, a man of ability and deep piety, Laban Smith 
and John J. Young of Bloomfield, and Allen Tibbitts of Plymouth. 
These men rendered very effective service by their activity and 
devotion to the work. There is one other name too precious and 
valuable to be overlooked in this connection, although we shall speak 
of him more fully hereafter, that is, Joseph Bangs, of Tecumseh, a 
brother of the venerated Nathan Bangs, D. D., and father of Francis 
B. Bangs of the Michigan Conference. He was a man of great power 
as a preacher, and his piety was so undoubted that all who knew 
him respected him. 

The Circuits this year were enlarged in every direction in which 
it was possible; as, the Ann Arbor Circuit, which takes the place of 
the Huron of the last two years, was extended west to Jackson, 
where a settlement had been commenced in the spring of 1830. In 
order to do this the preachers had to go from Ann Arbor to Jack- 
son and return on the same route, to preach at Jackson and at Grass 
Lake, making a journey of eighty miles to preach twice. There was 
no regular road, and they had to follow the Indian trail much of the 
way. Monroe Circuit was made to include Tecumseh and Adrian ; 
Oakland extended itself towards the northwest. It included Farm- 
ington, where, the year before, there had been a very powerful 
revival, so that almost the entire population had been converted. 
This was under the labors of William T. Snow. Many of the young 
people became very active members of the Church. Among these 
were the Meads and Thayers, whose parents were Presbyterians, 
but the young people became very active and earnest Methodists. 
Some of them still remain. The St. Joseph Circuit included all of 
the southwest part of the Territory, and the two excellent and 
talented young men found all they could do to meet the calls of the 
new and growing settlements. They included Kalamazoo, where a 
Society was organized, of which we shall speak hereafter, Niles, and 
many minor places. At the end of the year they reported eleven 
hundred and eighty-three members for Michigan, making an increase 
of three hundred and fifty-eight over last year. 

It is to be understood that these results were attained by much 
labor, toil and suffering — also with some opposition. About this time 
Mary Keeler, a very fine young lady, residing at Ten Mile Creek, 
in Monroe Circuit, who had been thoughtless and gay, was con- 
verted and united with the Church. Her father was bitterly opposed 
to religion and very determined in his way. So, when Mary came 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. I 17 

home, being much enraged, he gave her the alternative, to abandon 
her religion or be banished from her home forever. She chose 
the latter ; but the Lord raised her up friends and supplied her 
with homes. She became a very devoted, zealous and useful mem- 
ber of the Church. Eli Hubbard, too, of the same neighborhood, 
was a wonder of Divine grace, being raised up to serve God in 
the midst of great opposition, and from a low degree of sin ; but 
he served his day and generation faithfully, and has gone home to 
his reward. 

In the neighborhood of Ann Arbor a Mrs. How was converted 
in the spring of 1830. Her husband was very bitter in his opposi- 
tion, and persecuted her very much. On one occasion he collected 
several of his same sort — freethinkers they wished to be considered, 
but really tyrants, not willing that others should think freely — and 
supplied the whisky. They drank and caroused, and, finally, to show 
his contempt for religion, he took his wife's Bible, baptized it in 
whisky — in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost — and then 
put it in the fire and burned it up. As might be expected, he lived 
a wretched life, and finally died a miserable death. It is surprising 
that others will not take warning from such examples, but, yet, each 
one seems to think that it will not be so with him. Still, if they 
would only take counsel of their own feelings as well as these cir- 
cumstances, they would know that it could not be otherwise ; for they 
would find a wretched, fiendish feeling in them which is opposed to 
peace. 

During the summer of 1831 there were three Camp Meetings 
held in this country. One in the town of Superior, which was a 
time of great interest, and many were converted. The writer will 
never forget one family, in which there were two children, a son and 
a daughter, coming to maturity. The mother was a Christian, and 
very anxious for the salvation of her children. They were both 
very deeply affected with a sense of their guilt at this meeting. The 
daughter yielded so far as to make a profession of faith in Christ ; 
but the son was very stubborn, and finally declared he would not 
attend to it now, and turned away from the Saviour — to the great 
grief of his parents and other friends. It seemed very sad at the 
time, and we feared he would come to some bad end. We lost sight 
of that young man for a few years, but the next place we found him 
was in the State Prison for crime. A few months after we first saw 
him in prison there was a break among the prisoners, and several of 
them got out, and were determined to fight their way through the 
country. Young Norton acted as leader of the gang. When sur- 



I 1 8 HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

rounded by those who had been called out to arrest them, he was 
required to surrender; but he refused, and was making a movement 
to disable some one, so that he might get on. He was now fired at 
and mortally wounded, and died in a few hours. We were at his 
funeral in the prison. How dangerous it is to resist the strivings of 
the Divine Spirit ! 

Two of these meetings were held in the town of Bloomfield, in 
Oakland County, near Birmingham. They were both occasions of 
great power. Many were converted, and many were physically 
prostrated, or had what is vulgarly called " the power " — not simply 
Methodists, but Presbyterians and Baptists. During the time of the 
second of these latter meetings, there was a pious lady in the imme- 
diate neighborhood who was very sick and not expected to live. For 
some days she had been helpless and in a rather comatose state. She 
revived a little and seemed to be engaged in prayer for a little while, 
when she arose from her bed, walked across the room and back to 
her bed, to the amazement of her attendants, and said she should 
recover. She did recover. She said she had received the assur- 
ance of it in answer to prayer. We knew her well in after years when 
we traveled the Farmington Circuit. We simply state the facts, and 
leave every one to draw his own conclusions in regard to the power 
of prayer. 

At the first meeting in Bloomfield. which was in June, the fol- 
lowing incident occurred : One of the young preachers from an 
adjoining Circuit observed, on Saturday evening, that there were 
several young men who seemed disposed to make disturbance. He 
determined, if possible, to defeat them. For this purpose he dis- 
guised himself, saying nothing to any one, and found a way to drop 
in among them, so as not to be observed but to be recognized as 
one of them. Thus he heard their plans and knew their purposes. 
They did not propose anything very bad, only such as would disturb 
and annoy. They had gathered around a fire on the outside of the 
encampment, and were engaged in conversation, and waiting till some 
opportunity should turn up. Now, to his surprise, he found another 
young minister, partly disguised, but not so but that they had a little 
suspicion of him — but by the help of the first this suspicion was 
quieted. While sitting here, a shout broke out in a tent on the 
opposite side of the ground. The public meetings had been closed, 
and most of the tent-holders had retired ; but in this tent there was 
so much interest they could not give up to sleep, but continued their 
devotions. The power of the Lord came down upon them and some 
of them shouted. When this shout was heard all must needs go 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. I 1 9 

to see what was up. The young preacher left his comrades a few 
moments to reconnoiter. When he returned he found most of them 
together, some swearing and some doing other unsuitable things. 
He thought his time had now come to make a strike among them. 
So he, in a kind of swaggering way, proposed to them to go across 
the ground and have a meeting, too, as they in the tent seemed to be 
enjoying themselves so well. This, however, they did not like, to do. 
" Well," said he, " lets us have meeting right here. If you will hear 
I'll preach." "Very well," said they; "we'll be glad of that." "Well, 
now," said he, "you must all agree to stand by me and hear all I've 
got to say." "Yes, we will," said they, and took their seats on a 
bench which stood there in front of a tent. There was about a dozen 
of them. He took off his hat, took for his text, " Prepare to meet 
thy God," and preached for an hour or more. Soon after he began 
two of them suspected they had got into a trap, and began to 
whisper; probably they were saying, "Guess he's a preacher." 
" Your attention," said he ; " you promised to hear all I had to 
say." They stopped and he went on. He preached, setting forth 
the necessity of a preparation, and the awful consequences if they 
did not prepare. He had spoken but a few moments before he 
and they were surrounded by the people coming from their tents. 
When he closed his sermon he called on Arza Brown, the preacher 
in charge of the Circuit, to pray. After prayer, " Now," said he, to 
the people around him, " if you will pray I will hold class-meeting 
with them. " He then spoke to them individually, and urged the 
necessity and excellency of religion. The most of them were very 
much affected. When he closed class-meeting, James W. Finley y 
from Monroe, struck up and sung the hymn : 

"Ye simple souls, that stray 
Far from the paths of peace," &c. 

When he was done singing he dismissed them, It was now near 
the dawn of day. When dismissed, the most of them resorted to 
their former place at the fire on the outside of the tents opposite. 
The aforesaid disguised preacher was then among them — of course 
not the one who had preached, but the other one, who, by the way, 
was James W. Finley. " Well," said one, " this is a new thing. I 
have heard of a wolf in sheep's clothing, but I never before heard of 
a sheep in wolf's clothing." " Well," said another, " we must be very 
careful what we say; for, just as likely as not, before we are aware of 
it, one of these preachers will be right here among us." 

Just as it was getting light, one of the number, an Irishman — a 
school-teacher, who intended, as a rule, to be a very decent man — 



I 20 HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

came to the young" preacher and said he wished to speak with him. 
"Well, now," said the Irishman, "you rather got us into this." "Oh, 
no," replied the preacher ; " you got yourselves into it." " Well, but 
you took the advantage of us," quoth the first. " Oh, well," said the 
latter ; " it is my business to take all the advantage of the Devil I 
can." " But," persisted the Irishman, " if you saw me doing wrong it 
was your place to come and tell me of it." " Oh, no," replied the 
preacher ; " it is my business to preach and yours to hear." " But," 
continued the other, " it is not the best way. It has a tendency to 
harden me." " That is a pretty story, for you are now crying like 
a whipped baby and cannot help it," retorted the preacher. Here 
ended the interview. There was no more disposition to disturb that 
meeting, and some six or seven of the young men were converted 
before the meeting closed. 

The next year following there was a Camp Meeting held in this 
same vicinity, at which there was a wonderful display of the Divine 
power. Some of the strongest and least nervously excitable men in 
all the country lay for hours entirely helpless, but yet as happy as 
they could be. One described the sensation as that of being separ- 
ated from his body, and looking down upon it as it lay there in that 
helpless condition, and knew that it was his own body. We are not 
prepared to say much about this kind of manifestation ; only that it 
seems to be a manifestation of the Divine Spirit, which has been ex- 
perienced in almost all countries and more or less among all re- 
ligious denominations. It is a manifestation not to be sought after. 

In 1830 we became acquainted with Major Thompson Maxwell, 
who died in 1831, aged ninety-six years, and whose funeral we 
attended. He had resided on the River Rouge, about sixteen miles 
from Detroit, for a number of years. He was step-father to Joseph 
Hickox. He was a very pious, good man ; had been, in New Eng- 
land, a member of the Congregational Church, but had united with 
the Methodist Episcopal Church some time before his death. He 
was one of the men selected by John Hancock to throw the tea over- 
board in Boston Harbor. He was in twenty-three battles of the 
Revolution. In the War of 181 2 he was promoted to the rank of 
Major in the Regular Army of the United States, and served faith- 
fully during the war. He died in the faith and peace of the Gospel 
of Christ. 

The circumstances alluded to above, of throwing the tea over- 
board in 1773 are thus described in Bancroft's History of the United 
States : " Every endeavor had been exhausted to induce the con- 
signees of the tea to return it to England and not offer it for sale : 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 121 

"It had been dark for more than an hour. The church in which 
they met was dimly lighted ; when, at a quarter before six, Rotch 
appeared, and satisfied the people by relating that the Governor had 
refused him a pass, because his ship was not properly cleared. As 
soon as he had finished his report, Samuel Adams arose and gave 
the word : ' This meeting can do nothing more to save the country.' 
On the instant a shout was heard at the porch ; the war-whoop 
resounded ; a body of men, forty or fifty in number, disguised as 
Indians, passed by the door ; and, encouraged by Samuel Adams, 
Hancock and others, repaired to Griffin's wharf, posted guards to 
prevent the intrusion of spies, took possession of the three tea ships, 
and in about three hours three hundred and forty chests of tea, 
being about the whole quantity that had been imported, were emp- 
tied into the bay, without the least injury to other property. ' All 
things were conducted with great order, decency, and perfect sub- 
mission to the government.' The people around, as they looked on, 
were so still that the noise of the breaking open of the tea chests 
was plainly heard. A delay of a few hours would have placed the 
tea under the protection of the Admiral at the castle. After the 
work was done the town became as still and calm as if it had been 
holy time. The men from the country carried back the great news 
to their villages." 

Major Maxwell was a very quiet, unobtrusive man, but fearless 
and courageous, and well fitted for an enterprise of that kind. His 
last days were spent in quiet retirement in Wayne County, and his 
dust sleeps in the country graveyard, and in an unmarked grave, 
awaiting a glorious resurrection. 

A little incident, illustrative of the occasional inconveniences of 
intinerant life, occurred to us on this same Circuit. Belonging to 
one of the country classes was Brother B., whose home was some 
three miles distant from the place of meeting, and directly off from 
the route we had to travel to perform our rounds on the Circuit 
This brother became very urgent that we should visit him and stay 
over night with him. We finally agreed that if he would be present 
at the next meeting, so as to conduct us into the woods, we would 
go with him. The meeting was on a week day. We confess we 
rather hoped he would not be there, as the indications were not very 
inviting or promising. But when the day came he was on hand and 
claimed our company. We went. Our way was through thick woods, 
occasionally deep mud, and not much road. When we reached the 
habitation we found it to be a very rude log house, standing in the 
forest with but a small patch cleared around it. There was a partial 



122 HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

fence inclosing it, but it did not exclude small animals, so there were 
young hogs around the house, which occasionally intruded themselves 
inside, notwithstanding there were two or three dogs lying around 
the fire-place, though there was not much fire, as it was warm weather. 
We found there was but one room to the house, and two beds in it. 
All the appurtenances were such as might have been supposed from 
the pigs and dogs. There were, also, several small children. It was 
near night when we reached the habitation, and the good lady was in 
expectation of our coming, and seemed to be pleased to think the 
minister was coming to visit them. She made us as welcome as she 
knew how to do. Our meal was provided, and we sat down to it. 
But such a meal ! Well — we'll not attempt to describe it. We made 
the best we could of it. As the hour of retiring to sleep approached 
we kept wondering where we were to sleep. After prayers the 
brother told us we were to occupy one of the two beds in the same 
room. There were no curtains around them, and we had to snatch 
the moments when the lady's face was turned the other way to get 
into bed, as we were a very modest young man then. When we 
were about to lie down to slumber, the good brother told us he 
would be under the necessity of putting two or three of the little 
fellows into the same bed, as they were not very well supplied. 
When we looked at the bedding we concluded it had been washed 
some time, but it must have been so long ago that it had forgotten 
it. But there was no backing out now, so we turned in. The little 
ones were turned in with us. But, before we had time to become 
locked up in sleep, we found we had other companions besides 
children. These were so pertinacious as to make such attacks on us 
as to prevent our sleeping. We waited very wistfully for the morn- 
ing, and as soon as practicable we left the woods, and never found it 
convenient to visit them again. Every itinerant can relate incidents 
of this kind — and some much worse, perhaps. But the people are 
good and kind, in their way, and seem to think they are all right. 

We will now look for a few moments at the appointments made 
in 1 83 1 and to the results. The flood-tide of immigration seemed now 
to have set in in this direction very strongly, calling for an increase 
of laborers, and also for enlarging the aggregate of suffering and toil 
to carry the Gospel to the new settlements. Still there were only 
three riew names of charges introduced to our notice — to wit, Ypsi- 
lanti, Tecumseh and Kalamazoo Circuits. Ypsilanti embraced all of 
Ann Arbor Circuit lying east of Ann Arbor. This is all we need 
to say of the geography of this Circuit. Tecumseh is introduced to 
the exclusion of Ann Arbor, so that we only have an increase of two 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. I 23 

charges. But, as this is new in its boundaries, it will not be uninter- 
esting to furnish its geography and a description of the first round 
made on it by the preacher in charge. Starting at Ann Arbor, it 
went west to Marshall, thence south to Coldwater, thence east to 
Clinton, thence south toTecumseh and Adrian, thence north, through 
Manchester and Saline, to Ann Arbor, making n early four hzmdred 
miles of travel to be performed every four weeks and to preach 
twenty-seven times regularly in the same time. 

It is to be premised that the autumn of 1831 was very rainy; 
that all the swamps and marshes were full of water and the streams 
were very high and many bridges were carried away. It is further 
to be understood that the settlements were mostly made in parallel 
lines, so that from Ann Arbor westward there were no north and 
south roads. It will be seen that this Circuit embraced two of these 
parallels ; so, in order to get around, we must find or make some 
cross road. 

We will furnish a few extracts from the journal of the preacher 
in charge, descriptive of his first round : 

"September 1st, 18 ji. I was appointed to Tecumseh Circuit 
with Ezekiel S. Gavit. Arrived at Ann Arbor on September 21st, 
and commenced my labors on this Circuit, and had to fix its bounds. 
I reached Jackson without any special difficulty, but this was as far 
west as any itinerant had ever gone. Spent Sabbath, October 2d, 
in Jackson. Monday, October 3d, rode nine miles to Brother Fas- 
sett's, and preached at night. The Sandstone Creek was very high 
and without bridge, so I got into the water pretty badly. 

" October 4th. Rode twenty-three miles to Marshall — a new 
place. To-day, in crossing marshes, my horse got mired down twice, 
so that I had to get off into the mud and water to help him out. I 
had to cross one creek which was so narrow that a man could step 
across in most any place where it was not worn by teams crossing it , 
but when I rode into it my horse sank into the mire and water, sa 
that the water came over the top of my saddle. Reached Marshall 
late in the afternoon, wet, cold and tired. 

"Sunday, October gth. Preached twice in the private residence 
of Sidney Ketchum. This was the first visit they had had from an 
itinerant ; though Randall Hobart, a local preacher, had been here 
for a few weeks, and had preached a few times. He has come to 
settle here. A Presbyterian minister had purchased and was keep- 
ing public house, and to-day preached in his own house in the after 
nocm. 

"Monday, 10th. Having hired a man to go with me to find the 



124 HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

way to Coldwater, we set out. Left my clothes and books at Mar- 
shall, and filled my saddle-bags with oats for the horses and bread 
and raw pork for ourselves. We supplied ourselves with an axe, a 
gun, a pocket compass and a map, and so started to find our way 
to Coldwater. We wallowed through marshes and creeks as we 
came to them ; we marked the trees on the south side, so that we 
could follow the same way back. When we came to the St. Joseph 
River we found it very high, and did not like to venture in ; so we 
cut a tree, which reached nearly across, and one went over on that 
and the other drove the horses through and then followed on the 
tree. Thus we continued until night overtook us. Wet and tired, 
we kindled a fire, made a hut of brush, roasted our meat, and ate 
supper and went to bed, after family prayer. My great-coat made 
my bed, my saddle and saddle-bags my pillow. Slept some. The 
wolves howled most hideously most of the night. 

" Tuesday, October nth. Resumed our journey, but made no 
progress in the right direction. Becoming satisfied that I could not 
find my way through from this direction, and reach my appointment 
at Clinton and Tecumseh on the Sabbath, we returned to Marshall, 
so as to go back by way of Ann Arbor. 

" Wednesday, 12th. Rode to Jackson, with about the same diffi- 
culties I found on my way out. 

" Thursday, ijth. Rode to Ann Arbor, forty miles, over the 
worst road I ever met with. The Grand River at Jackson was very 
high, so that the log-way on each side of the bridge was all afloat. 
My horse soon went down across the logs. Had to dismount, help 
him off, and lead him across by the end of the bridge. All the 
bridges across the marshes and little streams were either afloat or 
were carried away. Occasionally I would make my horse leap across 
the creek, but sometimes I had to strip him and drive him through, 
and get myself and my baggage over the best I could. Near sun- 
down I reached Mill Creek, at Lima Center, where I found the 
bridge entirely gone, except the stringers. There was no time to 
parley. I stripped my horse and drove him into the creek. He 
went to the opposite bank, but would not leap up, and he came 
back. Drove him in again with the same result. This time I put 
the saddle on and mounted, having left my saddle-bags, overcoat 
and under coat on the bank. The water came over the top of the 
saddle — made him leap up the bank, and we pressed on, but when 
we had got about half way over the wide marsh, he mired down 
and could not help himself. Dismounting, I rolled up my sleeves, 
plunged my hands down into the mud, pulled out his feet, and got 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. I 25 

them onto fresh turf, and assisted him up. Went back after my 
things, mounted, and rode eleven miles to Ann Arbor. Reached 
thereabout nine o'clock p. m., wet, cold, tired and hungry." 

From Ann Arbor he went southwest, and spent the Sabbath at 
Clinton and Tecumseh. On Monday he started towards Coldwater. 
When he stopped for the night at Moscow — it is now — he found a 
Frenchman who claimed to have been a trader among the Indians 
and knew the country well. He employed him to go as his guide, 
but he proved to be a drunken, worthless fellow, and he discharged 
him at Coldwater. He found there were a few families about five 
miles north of Coldwater. He went on to that place, but was de- 
tained till Friday. On that day and the next we find the following 
entries in his journal : 

"Friday, October 21st. Took an early start. Provided myself 
with an axe and blazed the trees on the south side. A few miles 
after crossing the St. Joseph River I came to my old blazes. Thus 
I blazed my way for twenty miles through the woods alone. Reached 
Marshall about sundown, tired, wet and hungry. Found my colleague, 
Brother Gavit, here, quite despondent because I had been delayed 
by a funeral. 

"Saturday, October 2 2d. Returned to Coldwater. Brother Gavit 
came half way with me. We labored hard, and made the way plain, 
and parted after prayer here, in the wild woods. Thus I have spent 
four days, carrying an axe and blazing the trees to make a way to 
get around our Circuit. My right shoulder is so sore and lame that 
I can scarcely lift my hand to my head. But I am resolved to per- 
severe." 

On this Circuit there was one place of ten miles without any 
house, and in another part a place of twenty miles. On one part 
of it there were sixty miles between appointments. They had to 
stop at a tavern and pay their bills. 

Kalamazoo Circuit took in all of Kalamazoo County, and what- 
ever there was west and northwest, to the Lake, furnishing a wide 
and open range for the missionary. We have not been able to 
obtain anything from the journal of the missionary for this year. 

The results of the labors of this year are indicated in part by 
the figures. Still, mere figures do not give a full view of what has 
been accomplished by these self-denying labors. The foundations 
are laid for the growth of Society. The figures show a net increase 
of four hundred and ninety-five in the membership. 

The Black Hawk War occurred during this year, and created 
much excitement in Michigan for a few weeks. It was feared that 



126 HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

the Indians of Michigan would be induced to join Black Hawk's 
party, and occasion a great deal of mischief among us. But the war 
was soon ended, and the people settled down again to their peaceful 
pursuits. The tendency of all such excitements is to divert the 
attention of the people, for a time, from the great interests of the 
soul ; but, through the mercy of our God, this was of short duration. 
A greater obstacle was found in the eagerness of the people to 
secure the best locations for farms, mills and villages. 

The first love-feasts and sacramental seasons held in the Coun- 
ties of Jackson and Calhoun were held this year. The one in Jack- 
son was in March, and that in Calhoun — Marshall — in June, 1832. 

This, too, was the year of the first visit of that terrible scourge, 
the cholera, to this part of the country. Ann Arbor and Marshall 
were specially afflicted. Many died with it in both places. 

There was but one Camp Meeting held in our Territory this 
year. This was near Northville, and was an occasion of great spirit- 
ual power. Many were converted, and witnesses of perfect love 
were raised up, and the cause was much benefited by this meeting. 
The ministers in attendance were generally young, but they were 
men of power, for God was with them. The meeting occurred early 
in June, 1832. 

With the opening of another year there is a change in the 
superintendency of the District and a little change in the boundaries. 
By act of the General Conference, which met in the City of Philadel- 
phia, in May, 1832, the southwest portion of Michigan was attached 
to the Indiana Conference, because it was more convenient to sup- 
ply it from that direction. It continued in that relation till 1840. 
James Gilruth was appointed Presiding Elder of Detroit District, 
and continued in that office until 1836. 

For the year 1832-33 we have some new charges — viz., Ann 
Arbor is restored ; Farmington and Mount Clemens in place of 
Oakland ; Saginaw and Calhoun Missions. The geography of these 
charges has been before described, as this was mainly the division of 
the work as the intervals of the great points were filled up, as Te- 
cumseh Circuit of last year was divided into three parts — viz., Te- 
cumseh, Ann Arbor and Calhoun — but the area was not extended, 
and five preachers occupy the same territorial limits occupied by two 
last year. The Saginaw Mission was an exception to this remark, 
as the whole of its appointments were beyond where any other had 
penetrated. This was rather an experiment, and it was given up at 
the next Conference, because there were so few people to be reached 
by it. 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. I 27 

It seems a little strange that as yet no one has been raised up 
as a minister from this field. We have had occupation of Michigan 
soil and have had Societies for about twenty-three years, and, of late 
years, a rapidly increasing membership, and yet not one convert has 
been called into the ministry. The supply has all come from abroad. 
Perhaps one reason for this is the very dependence we have had on 
Ohio, which has always been prolific in preachers. The Minutes of 
1833 furnish the first instance of a minister from among Michigan 
converts — to wit, Duncan McGregor. A few others, as L. D.Whitney, 
Marcus Swift, Richard Lawrence, and 'William H. Brockway, were 
recommended to the Conference from the Detroit District ; but they 
were members of the Church before they came to Michigan, and 
only one of them, Mr. Brockway, was licensed to preach here. The 
next name of a Michigan convert entering the itinerant work was 
Lorenzo Davis, who was converted in Ypsilanti, and joined the Con- 
ference in 1834. Neither of these two brethren — converts — is now 
in the itinerant ranks. Messrs. Whitney, Swift and Lawrence located, 
and have since died. They died in the faith. 

At the Conference of 1833 there was no increase of the number 
of charges, although there had been an increase of nine hundred in 
the membership. Saginaw Mission was left off the Minutes, but 
Huron Mission was introduced. This Mission lay along the Huron 
River below Ypsilanti, and extended out to Dearborn. The chief 
point of interest in this Mission was an Indian settlement a little 
above Flat Rock. They were Wyandottes, and there was a number 
of members of the Church among them. Old Blue Jacket was a 
very important character among them, and a man of considerable 
mental power. Old Honness was an interesting patriarch among 
them. He was supposed, at this time, to be something over one 
hundred years old. He was a white man, but had been taken by 
the Indians when a little boy — so small that he had only a confused 
idea of his parents — was of German origin. He was now rejoicing 
in the consolations of religion, having been converted about two 
years before. He died shortly after this in the peace of the Gospel. 
The last year before this Monroe Circuit included this Indian settle- 
ment, and we employed William H. Brockway to teach the Mission 
school. While engaged in this work he was licensed to preach and 
recommended to the Conference. We shall never forget one visit 
we made to this Mission. We stayed over night among them, sleep- 
ing on the soft side of a bench in the school-house, in company with 
Mr. Brockway and the boys who attended the school. The next day 
we visited around among them. About noon we were very weary 



128 HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

and hungry, and called at a cabin and had a dinner of hominy and 
Indian sugar. We did not stop to think how the sugar had been 
made, or how much filth there might be in the sugar or the hominy. 
It was one of the most delicious meals we ever ate, according to the 
princples of the German proverb, " Hunger is the best sauce." It 
was a hard day, but we have never regretted having devoted it to 
them. These Indians left their small reservation in a few years after 
this and went west of the Mississippi. 

The year closes up with an increase of seven hundred and fifty 
members. We now have an entire membership of three thousand 
three hundred and eighteen, and twenty ministers. 

For the next year — 1834 — we have only one increase in the 
number of charges — that is Cassopolis — taking the west half of St. 
Joseph Circuit. In the eastern part of the Territory the Huron 
Mission is extinguished and Plymouth is introduced, to continue as 
a permanent charge, though it will, from time to time, be pared 
down to become a Station. The work went on prosperously this 
year. 

We have but one more year in this third period to complete 
our annals. This year — 1835 — shows a considerable increase of the 
work. Detroit District is divided and Ann Arbor District is created, 
and there are six new charges. Only one of these, however, is in 
entirely new ground — that is, Grand River Mission. 

We find an increase of one thousand six hundred members for 
this year. 

We have, then, at the close of this third period of our History, 
two Districts, with three charges belonging to a District, in Indiana,. 
making nineteen charges; tuuenty-nine itinerant, and a much larger 
number of local preachers, and four thousand nine hundred and twen- 
ty members. 

This, however, does not exhibit the whole work which has been 
done ; for the Sabbath School has secured much attention, as, in 
every place where it was practicable, Sabbath Schools have been 
organized and conducted through the joint labors of ministers and 
laymen and women of God. 

The Sabbath School work has all originated within this period 
of our History, as distinctive Methodist Sabbath Schools, or even 
any at all. A mission Sabbath School was started in Detroit proba- 
bly about 1820, and the Methodists were content to co-operate with 
that school until some time in 1827, when they started a school of 
their own. We have not been able to ascertain the precise date of 
the origin of either of these schools, though we have made dili- 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. I 29 

gent inquiry. The same thing holds in regard to these schools that 
does in regard to the Churches here — their early records are not to be 
found, and we haye to depend on the memory of individuals mainly. 
This union school originated and was maintained by Presbyterian 
influence, and the records were not preserved. Hon. Alanson Sheley 
has the first records to be found. This first Methodist Sabbath School 
in Michigan had to struggle with great difficulties, such as the loca- 
tion of the unfinished "church on the commons," the prestige of the 
union, and the want of teachers. Mr. Jerry Dean was the prime 
mover in this enterprise, and was the first superintendent. Hon. 
John Owen, then quite a young man and a member of the Meth- 
odist Church, was secretary of the union school, and did not, at first, 
join in this Methodist movement. After a time — that is, in 1830 — 
however, he was induced to give up the position which he held as 
secretary and take the superintendency of the Methodist School, a 
position which he held for many years after. He procured a small 
room down on Woodward Avenue, near Congress Street, which 
had been used as a lawyer's office, to which he removed the 
school, and kept it there until the new church was erected at the 
corner of Woodward Avenue and Congress Street. This was, in- 
deed, the day of small things. Down to the date to which this period 
comes the Sunday School work had not been so systematized as that 
any statistical reports were made, so we have to content ourselves 
with the general statement that this work was attended to by the 
Churches in those days, perhaps not with the same degree of thor- 
oughness as at this day ; but, yet, the work was begun and carried 
forward with a commendable degree of zeal, and with considerable 
success. Then we had not the appliances for instruction, nor the 
attractions of the present day. But a noble work was done, and 
these pioneers in this department of Church work are worthy of all 
praise. They sowed and we have entered into their labors, and we 
are gathering a grand fruitage. 

The Temperance reform was entered into very heartily and act- 
ively. Ministers became earnest lecturers, and in 1832 the member- 
ship in this Peninsula almost unanimously signed memorials to the 
General Conference, asking for a more stringent rule on the subject 
of the sale and use of intoxicating liquors. Although the Church 
was considered a Temperance Society, our ministers and people 
generally united in Temperance organizations and efforts with those 
who did not belong to the Church but were willing to operate in this 
cause, and work in this way for the good of humanity. 

We copy the following resolutions from the records of the 



I 30 HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

Quarterly Conference for Ann Arbor Circuit, dated April 5th, 1834, 
as characteristic of the feelings and action of the Methodists at that 
date on the subject of Temperance : 

"Resolved (1), That such is the light that is now cast upon the 
subject of total abstinence from the use of ardent spirits that no per- 
sons can be considered as members in good standing in our Societies 
who continue to use such articles, except as a medicine in cases of 
necessity. 

"Resolved (2), That we highly disapprove of the practice of sell- 
ing ardent spirits, except in accordance with the last clause of the 
preceding resolution, and that we will use our influence to dissuade 
our members from engaging in the traffic. 

"Resolved (3), That we recommend to all our members to unite 
in forming and supporting Temperance societies." 

Already had the idea of building up a literary institution, under 
the patronage and fostering care of Methodism been entertained, 
and a charter had been obtained from the Legislative Council of 
of the Territory for this purpose. The location was unfortunate, 
and it became necessary to change the location afterwards ; but, 
yet, the charter obtained in 1835 was the foundation of the Albion 
College. The ball was put in motion in 1833, by the agreement of 
Dr. B. H. Packard, of Ann Arbor, Rev. Henry Colclazer and Rev. 
E. H. Pilcher to undertake it, and at the Conference in 1834 a 
committee was appointed to fix on a location and to apply to the 
Legislative Council for a charter. This committee decided to locate 
the institution at Spring Arbor, in Jackson County, and secured 
a charter accordingly. We now look upon the movement made at 
that time as a wild scheme — as it was located in the woods in fact 
— but, still, it shows the purpose to do a noble work for posterity. 
As wild as the scheme may now be regarded, it was no more so 
than the one adopted by the Baptists, Presbyterians and Protest- 
ant Episcopalians, about the same time. The Baptists and we 
have persevered while the other two have failed. Kalamazoo and 
Albion Colleges are monuments of perseverance and successful bat- 
tling with great difficulties. We shall have occasion to speak of 
Albion College more specifically in our next period. {See Albion.) 

Let us now take a general retrospect of this third period of 
our History. What has been the gain in these sixteen years ? We 
began with one charge, one minister a?id twenty members. Now we 
have twenty-nine charges, twenty -nine ministers^ and four thousand nine 
hundred and twenty members. Then we had no Sabbath Schools, and 
now we have them in all our growing villages. Then we had one 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. I 3 1 

log meeting-house, and now we have one very neat and pleasant 
one in the City of Detroit, and one frame one in the town of 
Plymouth, at Cooper's Corners. In several other places, as in 
Monroe, Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti, the incipient steps were taken 
towards buildings, but there were no other churches built during 
this period, except a log one in the vicinity of Pontiac, which was 
known as " Donation Chapel," and another small one at Algonac, 
on the St. Clair River. The age of church building had not yet 
arrived. Indeed, the country was too new to give much thought 
in that direction. Most of the people who had come in here to 
settle were in but moderate circumstances, and they were not in 
a condition to build churches. The Presbyterians had built a church 
in Detroit, in Ann Arbor, Monroe, and in the towns of Webster, 
Farmington and Pontiac, and, perhaps, in a few other places. The 
Protestant Episcopalians had built in Detroit, Monroe and Troy. 
The Baptists had erected a small church in Detroit and Troy. 
These were all the church accommodations furnished in this coun- 
try at this period, so far as we have been able to ascertain. The 
people were content to worship in school-houses and in private 
houses. This, however, is a state of things not to continue, for, as 
the conveniences of the people are increased at home, they will 
demand a corresponding increase in church conveniences. 

In our extensive Circuits we were in the habit of preaching" 
wherever we could find an open door, whether it was in a private 
residence, a school-house or a tavern. The first Temperance lec- 
ture ever delivered in the County of Jackson was in a bar-room, 
which was used also as a chapel. We stepped behind the bar and 
delivered a formal lecture to a crowded audience. This was in 1832. 
The keeper had just determined to keep a Temperance house, and 
this was the most commodious room for a public Temperance meet- 
ing. And the first quarterly meeting, with love-feast and sacrament, 
was held in the same tavern in the village of Jackson in March, 1832. 
The occasion was one of deep and thrilling interest, notwithstanding 
the surroundings. One young man was converted who proved to 
be a very firm and devoted Christian. 

Thus did the itinerants keep pace with the people in their set- 
tlements, and keep them under the civilizing and elevating influences 
of the Gospel of the Lord and Saviour. No other system but such 
a one as the Methodist could have met the necessities of this or any 
other new country. The natural tendency of man in a new and wild 
country is to barbarism ; and, unless he is constantly reminded of 
his higher, nobler destiny, he will certainly retrograde. Under the 



132 HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

excitement of a new settlement — a struggle with rugged, wild nature 
— he would soon conform to these circumstances were he left to him- 
self. To the minister, too, there was something interesting, exciting, 
and even thrilling in his labors and associations. The wild forests 
have often been made to ring with their songs of praise. The cour- 
ageous, and even daring perseverance exhibited by them is above 
all praise. It was not worldly gain or worldly honor that stimulated 
them onwards, for they had no prospect of either ; but " the love of 
Christ constrained them," and impelled them onward, and they were 
content to share the inconveniences of the people, if they could do 
them good ; and they did them good, for they preserved them and 
their children from retrograding, and influenced many of them to 
become devoted and earnest Christians. It is only an itinerant sys- 
tem of ministerial supply that could have met the exigencies of this 
country thus far. Some of the towns have been supplied by others, 
but the country, generally, has been left to our care and labor. 

In this encomium on the itinerant system of ministerial supply 
for a new country, we are not to be understood as entering into 
the mooted question as to whether it is the best system for a settled 
state of society. Neither do we intend to say that the Methodists 
have done all of the pioneer work ; for we well remember the perse- 
vering labors of Rev. Calvin Clark, of the Presbyterian Home Mis- 
sion, in this country. His zeal was very commendable and success- 
ful in founding Churches. Among the Free Will Baptists, too, Rev. 
Mr. Limbock^r was a very active pioneer, having come into the 
country as early as 1830. Although the ministers of this denomina- 
tion were so early in the field, they have never become very numer- 
ous. They now have a flourishing college at Hillsdale under their 
care, and are doing a good educational work, but they are not nu- 
merous. 

Regular, or Close Communion Baptists, have done much early 
work, and were among the very first in educational enterprise. 
They were the first to undertake the publication of a religious news- 
paper. 

All denominations have contributed to the maintenance of 
Christianity and Christian civilization in this country, though some 
have done more of the real pioneer work than others during the 
formative period of our country. 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 1 33 




CHAPTER VII. 

Prefatory — John P. Kent — Alfred Brunson — Samuel Baker — John Strange — Jerry Dean — John 
Owen— Sally Noble— Philip Warren— Mary A. Palmer — Isaac C. Hunter— Sarah H. Baugh- 
man — Jonathan E. Chaplin — G. Smith. 

^T will be both interesting and profitable to devote a chapter to 
some of the men and women of this period. Some of them 
have gone to their great reward, while some we shall name 
-Jj[T^ still live to honor the cause of our God and to glorify His 
°Y° grace. The first we introduce is the minister who was ap- 
pointed here at the beginning of this period of our History : 

Rev. John P. Kent was the first minister sent to the Detroit 
Circuit from the Ohio Conference, if we except William Mitchell, 
who was sent here through mistake from what was then called the 
Western Conference, which included Ohio and much more of what 
was called the West in 1810. Mr. Kent was appointed to the 
Detroit Circuit at the session of the Ohio Conference held at Chilli- 
cothe, Ohio, beginning August 8th, 1820. Detroit was included in 
Lebanon District, which extended from the Ohio River on the south 
to and including Michigan. James B. Finley was the Presiding Elder. 
Since 18 10 Detroit had stood connected with the Genesee Confer- 
ence, and was included in the Upper Canada District. The transfer 
of it to another Conference seems to have produced a little confu- 
sion. The presumption is that the last preacher from the Genesee 
Conference did not send to the Ohio Conference any plan of the 
appointments or any list of the Societies, and the new preacher had 
to find out the preaching places and the Societies as well as he could. 
The Presiding Elder, James B. Finley, in his auto-biography, written 
many years after — that is, in 1854 — says: "This year the people 
of Detroit desired me to send them a preacher ;" that he " found a 
young man by the name of Morey, who went there, carved out a 
Circuit, and returned to Conference with a plan." He must have 



134 HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

written this from memory, and was mistaken, we think, because the 
Genesee Conference met on the 20th of July, and the Ohio Confer- 
ence met on the 8th of August, making less than three weeks be- 
tween them. Mr. Dixon, the last preacher from the Genesee Con- 
ference, it is to be presumed, remained till some time in June; for he 
made his report of members to his Conference. Still, it is possible 
that, as soon as Mr. Dixon left, some of the people wrote him, 
fearing they might be overlooked ; but it was not possible for him 
to send Mr. Morey, or any other man, to seek out a plan before 
Conference. At all events, Mr. Kent was appointed to Detroit Cir- 
cuit in August, 1820, and came here and worked the Circuit, sup- 
plying all the places in Michigan where he could find an open door, 
and extended his Circuit as far south as the Maumee Rapids. He 
was a young man, single, and not very robust in health, but performed 
his work faithfully and well. His health became so much impaired 
by his long and fatiguing rides and great exposure, that it seemed 
necessary for him to take a superannuated relation to the Confer- 
ence at its next session. He, however, was not permitted to remain 
long inactive ; for his successor, Mr. Morey, having died early in the 
year, he was employed by the Presiding Elder to fill out the year. 
It was during this year he held a Camp Meeting on the Rouge, which 
resulted in much good to the cause. These two years constituted 
his whole service in Michigan. 

Mr. Kent was admitted into the itinerant connection by the 
Ohio Conference in 181 5, and regularly admitted into full member- 
ship, and ordained Deacon and Elder. The latter took place in 1819, 
so that he was an Elder of one year's standing when appointed to* 
Detroit, and, being unmarried, he seemed to be well suited to such 
work. He was of an excellent spirit, possessed very good abilities, 
and rendered very valuable service to the cause of God. Mr. Kent 
made the same mistake which had been made by his predeces- 
sors and many of his successors — that was, undertaking to do too 
much ; so much that he could not take care of the city as it deserved ; 
and so much as to break down his health. He was a truly pious 
man, an earnest preacher, who was much respected by the people. 
He afterwards married, and was transferred to the Genesee Confer- 
ence, to which he still belongs, and now lives in quiet retirement, in 
the enjoyment of the consolations of that religion which he labored 
to promote under such great difficulties in this new country, and in 
the dignity of a venerable and green old age. 

Rev. Alfred Brunson, D. D., who was appointed to Detroit in 
1822 as the successor of Mr. Kent, was born in Danbury, Connecti- 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. I 35 

cut, February 9th, 1793, so that at this present writing — 1877 — he is 
eighty- four years old. He was converted to God in Carlisle, Penn- 
sylvynia, February 3d, 1809, and united with the Methodist Episco- 
pal Church in that place April 2d, 1809, "when a runaway 'prentice," 
He returned to Connecticut, and experienced the blessing of per- 
fect love October 9th, 1809; and was licensed to exhort on March 
10th, 181 2. In 181 2 he removed to Ohio, and settled in Fowler, 
Trumbull County. In 181 3-14 he spent one year in the army; 
was at the Thames and in the battle in which Tecumseh was killed, 
under General Harrison, and spent the winter in Detroit. In 181 5, 
April 15th, he was licensed to preach in Hartford, Ohio. In 18 18 he 
was sent by Rev. James B. Finley, Presiding Elder, to organize Huron 
Circuit, Ohio, including Sandusky City, in which he preached the first 
sermon ever preached there. In 18 19 he was ordained Deacon, as 
a local preacher, in Cincinnati, Ohio, and was sent to the old Erie 
Circuit, Pennsylvania, by the Presiding Elder, William Swayzee. He 
was received on trial in the Ohio Conference in 1820, and was ad- 
mitted into full connection in 1822, and ordained an Elder. From 
this Conference he was sent to Detroit, with Samuel Baker for a col- 
league. The following is his description of Detroit Circuit at that 
time : " The Circuit then extended over the entire settled part of 
Michigan, except Sault Ste. Marie. I went from Detroit to Pontiac ; 
thence to Mount Clemens, and back to Detroit ; thence to the River 
Rouge, where was the only Methodist Church in the Territory, a log 
one, near Robert Abbott's ; thence up that river to a point fifteen 
miles from Detroit ; thence back to the Maumee road and to Mon- 
roe on the River Raisin, and up that river nine miles to the upper 
settlement, the road being only an Indian trail ; thence back to the 
Maumee road and to the Maumee at the foot of the Rapids ; thence 
right back on the lake and river road to Detroit. There were re- 
turned to us about one hundred and thirty members. 

" We arranged so as to preach every Sabbath in Detroit, in the 
old Council House. After Brother Baker had been once around the 
Detroit end, he proposed to take the south end of the Circuit, and 
leave me at Detroit. So we spent the year. We held our quarter- 
ly meetings together, but had no Presiding Elder during the year. 

"A subscription had been raised, and, in 1823, the foundation of 
the first Methodist Church in the city was laid — since turned into a 
dwelling ; but it was not made ready to occupy until after I left. I 
was sick in Detroit; had inflammation of the lungs and then of the 
liver ; was blistered, and then preached with blisters on my breast 



136 HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

six by eight inches, which burst and discharged a half a pint of water 
while in the pulpit. This occurred three times." 

He left Detroit in the autumn of 1823, and returned to Ohio. 
JVhile in Detroit he kept a boarding-house in order to get subsist- 
ence for his family, and yet he left the Circuit one hundred dollars in 
debt, which he paid the next year out of private funds. In regard 
to the traveling he has furnished us with the following sketch: "Our 
mode of travel was on horseback, except in the winter, when we 
used 'carry-alls,' or jumpers. Ingoing home from Mount Clemens 
on the ice, I took a straight shute across Lake St. Clair. When 
about half way, and a mile from shore, with cakes of ice piled ten 
feet high outside of me, my horse's foot broke through. My heart 
was in my mouth as quick as thought. In a step or two more he 
went through again — but this time relieved me, for I found it was 
only a thin shell over the main ice. On this same trip, just before 
leaving the land for the lake, I passed a house with. Jish hung out 
for sale. The man that was with me inquired the price, telling the 
Frenchman that I was a priest for whom he wanted the fish. "Oh !" 
said the Frenchman, "I'll give him all the fish I've got if he'll 
pardon my sins." My friend informed him that I didn't pretend to 
forgive sins, paid him for the fish, and left. Let the Catholic priests 
say what they will about referring their people to Christ, their people 
expect them to absolve them." 

Mr. Brunson has always continued in the itinerant work, and 
has been connected for many years with the Wisconsin Conference. 
He has recently issued a book, entitled, "Incidents of My Life and 
Times," and we are not at liberty to say more in this work, though 
he has much more to say in regard to his labors in Michigan. Dr. 
Brunson — for he is a D. D. — is a noble and great man, and has done 
much for the cause of true piety. 

It seems eminently appropriate that Rev. Samuel Baker should 
be named in this connection, especially as this was the last work he 
ever supplied, and as he was the colleague of Mr. Brunson. Mr. 
Baker was born in the City of Baltimore, Maryland, September 
13th, 1793, and was only a few months younger than his colleague. 
He was converted to God through faith in Jesus Christ when about 
eighteen years of age, and united himself to the Methodist Episcopal 
Church at once. He commenced the work of the itinerant ministry 
in the year 181 6. In this work he continued to discharge his duties 
with fidelity and success until his Master called him from the labors 
of earth to the glorious refreshments of Heaven. His whole ener- 
gies, physical, intellectual and moral, were devoted to his work. He 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. I 37 

went to the Conference, from Detroit Circuit, about the first of Sep- 
tember, 1823, with his bride, in the possession of ordinary health. 
He had just been united in marriage to Miss Sarah Harvey, of 
Monroe, a young lady of talent and piety. She accompanied him to 
Conference to return a widow; for, while at the Conference, the hand 
of disease was laid upon him fatally. He probably had contracted 
the disease from his excessive labors in this new country. An ap- 
pointment was assigned him, but he never reached it. After the 
attack of the disease he succeeded in reaching the residence of his 
brother, Dr. Baker, which was not many miles distant from the seat 
of the Conference, where he ended his race. His sufferings were 
great ; but when he saw his end drawing nigh, he exclaimed in holy 
triumph, " Glory, glory to God and the Lamb ! There is victory in 
death." Thus he fell asleep in Jesus, September 26th, 1823, in the 
thirty-first year of his age, and at the end of his seventh year in the 
itinerant ministry. Mr. Baker was a good and useful man, and his 
name is worthy to be recorded in the annals of the Church. 

We now introduce a name not very familiar to the religious 
annals of Michigan, and his name comes into this connection simply 
from the fact that he was Presiding Elder over this country for two 
years in the early history. Rev. John Strange, who was appointed 
to the Lebanon District, Ohio Conference, which included Detroit, 
in 1 82 1, "was a native of Virginia, and was born November 15th, 
1 789. When quite young he emigrated to Ohio, embraced religion 
in youth, and united himself to the Methodist Episcopal Church. He 
commenced his itinerant labors in 18 10, under the direction of the 
Rev. James Ouin, Presiding Elder. In 181 1 he was admitted on 
trial in the Ohio Conference, where he labored thirteen years with 
great fidelity, acceptance and usefulness. The balance of his useful 
life was spent in Indiana. He was zealous and faithful ; an eloquent 
and beloved minister of Jesus Christ. He has left abundant proof, 
both in Ohio and Indiana, of his success in the great work of win- 
ning souls to Christ — ' epistles known and read of all men.' He 
died in peace, December 2d, 1832, but will long live in the memory 
of endeared thousands." This is the record of him found in the 
official Minutes of the Indiana Conference for 1833. 

Mr. Strange was a man of much more than ordinary talents, a 
fine speaker, and was very useful in the Church. He was a little 
eccentric at times — a matter to which some object ; but, perhaps, in 
his case, as it was perfectly natural — this was one means of his useful- 
ness among the masses of the people. On one occasion, as he was 
preaching at a quarterly meeting in Detroit, he stopped suddenly, 



I $8 HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

and then said : " Some say they shout because they cannot help it ; 
but I think God will not thank them for such shouting. I shout be- 
cause I love to do so." On another occasion, stopping suddenly as 
before, he remarked : " Some will say, that is a strange preacher ; 
another, he is eloquent ; and another, he preaches too loud ; but 
there is a man — pointing to a lawyer — who for five dollars will 
labor much more zealously than I do," The manner of saying this 
was peculiar, and produced a profound sensation. He was a man 
of deep and earnest piety, and was a zealous and faithful laborer. 

Thus far in this chapter we have confined ourselves to sketches 
of ministers who have labored in this field, but we do not purpose 
to continue to do so; for there are laymen, and there are holy women, 
too, who deserve to be remembered by the Church and the world. 
Several of these we now purpose to introduce to notice, giving a 
brief sketch of their lives. One of these was Jerry Dean, who has 
already appeared by name in our narrative. Rev. James B. Finley, 
in his account of his first visit to Detroit, in 1821, speaks of him as 
his " old friend," having known him in Ohio. He has passed to his 
heavenly rest, but, as he stood by the Church here in the days of its 
darkness and feebleness, it is proper to make some grateful mention 
of him in this History. He was an intelligent mechanic — a saddler 
by trade — a very devoted Christian, and was, for many years, an 
active and very faithful member of the Methodist Church. He was 
converted and joined the Church in Ohio when but a young man, 
and had not been long married when he came to Detroit to reside. 
He came to Detroit to settle in business early in 1820. Being 
a member of the Church at the time, his house became one of 
the resting-places for the weary itinerants. He was industrious and 
prudent in the management of his affairs, succeeded well in his busi- 
ness, and accumulated a handsome property, which he was always 
willing to use liberally and freely for the support of religion. He 
was the first superintendent of the first Methodist Sabbath School in 
Michigan, established in Detroit in 1827. His end was peace. He 
died April 2 2d, 1839, in the forty-fourth year of his age, having been 
born December 25th, 1796. He was a man of a sound Christian 
experience, and, though always mild and gentle, he was earnest in 
his piety. He emphatically possessed " the ornament of a meek 
and quiet spirit, which in the sight of God is of great price." He 
was a noble, generous-hearted man. The Church sustained a real 
loss when he was called to his rest. Of him the late Bishop Thom- 
son once wrote : " Among the lost and loved of my Detroit flock 
that are still fresh in my memory are Jerry Dean and father Abbott. 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. I 39 

Few men that I have ever met with have breathed more of the spirit 
of Christ than the first. He was gentle as a lamb, loving as a mother, 
and conscientious as a child." His whole life-study seemed to be to 
ascertain how he could best promote the cause of the blessed Re- 
deemer. 

We shall next introduce one, who, though living, is too far ad- 
vanced to be inflated by anything we may have to say, and we intro- 
duce him here because of his intimate association with the last- 
named, and because that association was mutually profitable in a 
religious way, though he was the junior of the other by several years. 
Some time during the year 1818, a poor boy, who was born in or 
near Toronto, Canada West, March 20th, 1 809, came to Detroit with 
a widowed mother. He was cast upon the world to shift for himself 
at the age of nine years. This lad, though attracting no special 
attention at that time from the Church or the community, was des- 
tined to act a very conspicuous part in the interests of the Church in 
Detroit, as well as in political and financial circles. Being thrown 
upon his own resources, and having a strong desire to acquire a suf- 
ficient education to be able to transact ordinary business, at least, he 
found a friend in a gentleman who had charge of the only academy in 
the city. This gentleman, in consideration of his taking care of the 
school building and waiting on him, gave him his tuition free. This 
pedagogue was a man of very strict habits, and kept a very close 
surveillance over the habits of his protege, not allowing him to 
spend his evenings in the streets with other boys. This restraint 
seemed hard to him at the time, but it was of great service to him 
afterwards ; for, by this means, many hours were occupied in acquir- 
ing useful knowledge, which otherwise would have been worse 
than lost ; besides, he acquired a habit of close application, which, 
subsequently, proved to be of incalculable value to him. In conse- 
quence of the removal of this gentleman from the city, he had to 
leave school in 1821. When his friend and patron was about to 
leave, he gave the lad a recommendation, by means of which he 
obtained a situation as clerk in the drug store of Dr. Chapin, with 
whom he remained as clerk until the autumn of 1829, at which time, 
being twenty years old, he was taken in as partner in the business, in 
which relation he continued until the death of the Doctor. He was 
taken into partnership without money, as he had very little ; but he 
had capacity and application, and these he offset against capital. 
Both in his relation as clerk and joint partner he had the principal 
labor to perform. 

By close application to business, and ready attention to those 



I40 HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

who came to trade, there resulted a large increase of business. After 
the death of the senior of the firm, he continued the same business for 
a time alone, so that he had to attend to customers during the day, 
and then post and write up his books at night, so that many a time he 
has worked all night. Such labor and attention deserved success. 
Such success attended him in his business that he concluded to 
retire from trade in the spring of 1853. It is proper to be named 
here that, when he first entered into business, he devoted himself 
assiduously to it, so that the employer, first, and then the partner, 
might not suffer from his neglect. Never did he suffer himself to be 
called off by the various amusements and recreations usually in- 
dulged in by young men. This course was adopted not from penu- 
riousness, or a miserly spirit, because his liberal contributions to 
benevolent enterprises show that he has no narrow spirit, but he did 
it from a principle of moral obligation to his employer and partner. 
Since 1853 he has relaxed a little from the severities of business life, 
and, yet, he has not abandoned business entirely, as he is the presi- 
dent of a bank and associated in some other financial operations. 
He is now a man of wealth — of wealth secured in regular trade ; for 
it is to be noted, that notwithstanding the many temptations to with- 
draw money from regular trade to enter into speculations, he never 
allowed himself to run the hazard, so that the name of Hon. John 
Owen is almost a synonym for sound business integrity. We have 
given this sketch of his business life and its results thus far as a 
tribute to the mercy of God. He was converted to God in his youth, 
and united himself with the Methodist Episcopal Church in Detroit, 
Nov. 2d, 1823, which laid the foundation for his success in after years. 
When we call to mind the moral condition of Detroit at that 
time — the almost entire absence of religious influence — the gayety 
which prevailed — and that Methodism was "a hissing and a by- 
word;" that the Methodists were a neglected people ; that they 
worshiped in the old Council House, and then in the unfinished and 
unfurnished " brick church on the common," we find great reason to 
magnify the grace of God, which led him to identify himself and his 
spiritual interests with them, and which kept him in the way while 
in his youth. In conversation with him once he remarked to us: 
"To this step" — that is, his union with the Church — "I owe my suc- 
cess in business and my present position in society. The influence 
of the Church kept my feet from those snares which surrounded 
young men at that time, and dragged them to a dishonorable grave." 
No doubt the remark is a true one, and happy would it be for every 
young man if he would follow his example. 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 141 

The condition of the Church was such that it became necessary 
he should become active in its operations while he was yet young 
— an activity, especially, in regard to its finances — an activity which 
he has never ceased to exercise. The time was, however, when one 
dollar and a half per year was thought to be a large sum for him to 
pay towards the support of the Gospel. With increasing wealth, he 
increased in his contributions for the cause of piety. He was early 
made treasurer of the Church, and has continued to hold that office 
for many years. After paying such amount as he was expected to 
pay, if, after the Society had done what they could to raise the salary 
of the minister, there remained a deficiency, he footed the bill. This 
he did for many years. During the lifetime of Jerry Dean these 
two men stood shoulder to shoulder in all the financial interests and 
improvements of the Church, the former — that is, Owen — devising 
and the latter co-operating, usually making equal subscriptions. If 
what Solomon says be true, as it is, that " A good name is rather 
to be chosen than great riches, and loving favor rather than silver 
and gold," Mr. Owen must be regarded as exceedingly wealthy. Yet 
we do not mean to say that he has been without fault, or that no one 
has ever spoken against him ; but the blessing of some that were 
ready to perish is upon him. 

Mr. Owen is disposed to hold a low estimate of himself — and it 
is right to exalt the grace of God. In a communication to us he 
uses this language in regard to himself: "When I remember the 
opportunities I have had for doing good and glorifying God, and, yet, 
how little I have done, I feel I have been a very unprofitable servant 
I cannot, therefore, look back with satisfaction on the long term of 
years which has passed since I gave myself to God and His Church ; 
but feel I have great reason to ask forgiveness for my shortcomings,, 
and need to pray for the influence of the Spirit, that I may be quick- 
ened with new zeal in the service of our Lord and Saviour Jesus- 
Christ." He has always been true to the principles of the Churchy 
and an unvarying friend to the ministers who have been appointed 
to the charge. 

No one could have predicted, when he saw that boy blacking 
the boots of that teacher and rendering other services for him as an 
equivalent for the care and instruction which he gave him, that he 
was looking on a future wealthy banker. How much the world — 
and, even, the Church — is disposed to look upon this as a mere for- 
tuitous circumstance, and not to consider that God's providence is in 
it. But he never would have stood where he now stands had it not 
been for his having become a Christian during the formative stage of 



142 HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

his life. At a later period of his life he was called, contrary to his 
own wish, to serve his State in a financial capacity, and held the office 
of State Treasurer, and administered it admirably well for three terms, 
or six years. 

There are two points in this case worthy of note, and to which 
we would call special attention, as forming the foundation of his 
present position, both as regards his wealth and high standing in the 
public estimation. The first is that he became decidedly pious in his 
youth, and determined to honor God with his substance, and he faith- 
fully executed the determination. That widowed mother was never 
forgotten or neglected, and God honored him for it. The other 
point is that he always transacted his business on Christian princi- 
ples. He did not " make haste to be rich." Men may become rich 
by fraud and evil practices, but they forfeit the public esteem. He 
never allowed himself to venture where there was any probability of 
his transactions having the appearance of fraud, never undertaking 
any projects where there was not a clear way before him, and where 
he could not show a clean sheet. Patient, honest perseverance in 
honest business, associated with Christian piety and liberality, has 
been crowned with great success. It is his greatest pleasure, now, 
to think that he has contributed something towards the advancement 
of Christianity under the Methodistic form, as he believes that is bet- 
ter calculated than any other — though he is no bigot — to advance 
true Christian piety. His case is presented as worthy of imitation 
in the items last named, and as worthy of being considered by all 
young men, and for the glory of God's grace. 

There is one more item of value to be considered in his history, 
that is, his connection with the Sabbath School cause. About 1820, 
a little before the time of his conversion, a union Sabbath School was 
organized in Detroit — the first Sabbath School in Michigan — into 
which he entered as a pupil, and, after a few years, though but a lad, 
he was appointed the secretary. In this relation he continued until 
the summer of 1830. Notwithstanding his necessarily close appli- 
cation to business, he was always faithful to his post, both as pupil 
and officer. In 1827 the Methodist people concluded it was best for 
them to organize a Sabbath School of their own, which they did, with 
very indifferent success for the time being, for it was difficult to get 
the children to go out to the "brick church on the common." Our 
subject, though a member of the Church, did not enter into this 
movement at the beginning, as he found it difficult to break away 
from his former associations. But, at length, in 1830, by the urgent 
persuasion of his brethren, he consented to take charge of the school 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 1 43 

as superintendent. When he was appointed to the superintendency 
he immediately rented a room on Woodward Avenue, down in the 
midst of the people, and removed his school to it. This was a small 
room, but answerd a pretty good purpose until the new church was 
built, in 1834, at the corner of Woodward Avenue and Congress 
street. Now, in his new responsibility, notwithstanding his close 
application to business, he always found time to attend to the inter- 
ests of his Sabbath School, for his heart was in it, and it was a 
pleasure to him to attend to it. He feels and says that his relation 
to the Sabbath School work has been one great means of keeping 
him so firmly attached to the interests of Christianity. There is no 
doubt of the correctness of this opinion; for there is nothing so 
well calculated to bind us to Christianity as Christian work. He 
superintended this school, with a short interruption, for many 
years ; and, when he finally resigned the superintendency, he took 
charge of the infant class for several years. It is a most interesting 
scene to look upon, to see one who, though immersed in business 
and trade, has been so constant and cheerful in labors of this 
kind. This matter has been introduced here not for the purpose 
of lauding him, but to furnish an example for others, by showing 
what can be done. He still feels a deep interest in all departments 
of Church work. As the Church prospers he rejoices, and is ever 
ready, of the ability that God gives him, to assist in its enterprises. 
As Mr. Owen still lives, it is not permitted us to say anything more 
than to express the confidence that the grace of God in Jesus Christ, 
which he experienced in his youth, may abide in him to the end of 
life. 

There was one active and earnest Christian lady who is inter- 
woven with our first recollections of Detroit ; one whose zeal was 
proverbial ; who was a member of the Church at Mount Clemens 
as early as 1820-21, and came to Detroit to reside in 1822. She 
became a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church in the days 
of its feebleness in this peninsula, and did not forsake it in its dark- 
est days of trial. It was at her house, at Mount Clemens, that Rev. 
Piatt B. Morey died, after a short illness, in 1821. Her husband 
was also a member of the Church, but was not so active and earnest 
as she was, and is not so prominent in our recollection, though a 
very good man. For many years she sustained an unblemished 
Christian character, and died in peace. She had an ardent tempera- 
ment, which showed itself in the earnestness of her religious labors 
and exercises. A more than ordinary amount of talent had been 
committed to her trust. Had she lived in these days, she, doubtless, 



144 HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

would have been a successful evangelist; as it was, she was always 
active in religious meetings, praying and exhorting with much feeling 
and often with great power and effect. She embraced religion in 
early life, and lived in the enjoyment of its consolations under some 
very adverse and discouraging circumstances. Early in her Christian 
life she made a full consecration of herself to God, and felt that 
"the blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth from all sin ;" that "perfect love 
casteth out all fear." Her profession of such a deep experience of 
the things of God, was well sustained by a consistent, cheerful 
Christian life. Her eyes were always weak and defective, but for 
about nine years before her death she was deprived of her sight, 
so that the light of this world was entirely shut out, though she 
enjoyed the light of the spirit very brilliantly. We had the privilege 
of visiting her occasionally in her blindness, and always found her 
full of light in the Lord. It was indeed a rich feast to spend an hour 
in her society. 

Mrs. Sally Noble died at Monroe, whither she had removed 
from Detroit, some ten or more years before her demise, which 
occurred in the spring of 1857, in the fifty-second year of her age. 
When she came to lie on her bed of death she repeated the follow- 
ing lines of one of our hymns as expressive of her state of mind: 

"Jesus can make a dying bed 

Feel soft as downy pillows are, 
While on his breast I lean my head, 
And breathe my life out sweetly there." 

What a happy state of mind — a state of mind which no philoso- 
phy can produce. Nothing but the religion of the Lord Jesus has 
ever yet produced triumph in death. Thus in the ripeness of grace 
she rests in the bosom of her loving Saviour. 

" The toils of life are o'er, 
Its suffering and its care." 

Her husband survived until 1875, when he passed away, in 
peace, in the city of Monroe, in fulness of years and ripeness of 
Christian love, and they have joined hands on the blest shore. 

Another who was cotemporary with Mrs. Noble in the interests 
and affairs of the Church in Detroit, and who always stood firm at 
his post, deserves a few lines of notice. Philip Wai'ren was a quiet 
man, but an active and earnest Christian. All who saw him felt, at 
once, that they were in the presence of a deeply pious man. He 
was quite useful in the Church ; and he, too, has been called from 




(i/Ocuyjy^^^^ 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 1 45 

the labors of earth to the refreshments of heaven. He died in the 
ripeness of age and in the maturity of a Christian life. 

Mrs. Mary A. Palmer was the daughter of Hon. James and 
Mrs. Amy Witherell, and came to Detroit with her parents, in 1810, 
but returned East with her mother a short time after. There were two 
reasons for this return to the East, to wit: the mother was always in 
fear and dread of the Indians, many of whom were in and about 
Detroit at that time ; the other reason was to have better advantages 
for educating the children. The mother and family returned to Michi- 
gan in 181 7. The daughter Mary, in .1821, was married to Mr. 
Thomas Palmer, who was engaged in the mercantile business in De- 
troit. Their wedding trip East and return was an adventurous one. 
At the time there was but one steamboat on the lake, to wit : the 
Walk-in-the- water, which was a small craft. On the return they, 
with a few others, went on board at evening, at Buffalo, with fair hopes 
for a safe voyage. During the night, after having put out, a fearful 
storm arose, which drove the vessel back, and just at dawn of day 
it was driven on the rocks at Black Rock, and became a perfect 
wreck. The winds howled a terrible requiem for the Walk-in-the- 
water. The passengers were all saved. Mrs. Palmer was the first 
to leap ashore after the vessel struck. She retained a very vivid re- 
membrance of the awful night, and of the shock, even to her death. 
There seemed to be very little hope of soon getting to Detroit by 
sail, and the only other thing which remained to them was to hire a 
team and drive across Canada, which was both perilous and tedi- 
ous. Mr. Palmer had been so long absent from his business, he 
thought he must secure the most speedy return possible. So he and 
another man engaged a team to take them through with their wives. 
It required two weeks of hard toil to get through. About half way 
of their journey, after nightfall one day, the wagon broke down in 
the midst of a wood, about a mile and a half from any house. It 
was raining, dark and muddy. They could not stay where they were. 
One of the men went and procured some kind of a light, by means 
of which the ladies were enabled to make the distance, being wet 
and thoroughly bespattered with mud. It was near midnight when 
they reached the cabin in the woods. They found the poor people 
very hospitable, and having made a large fire they managed to dry 
their garments against morning, so that they were enabled to go on 
their way, when the wagon was repaired. This was a very trying 
journey for Mrs. Palmer, in the month of November, as it was. Her 
sufferings did not end when she reached the Detroit River, for that 
had to be passed over which was more terrible to her than anything 



1 46 HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISxM IN MICHIGAN. 

she had passed on the way. There were no steam ferries then, nor 
even row boats, but they had to secure a canoe, and that to be pro- 
pelled and guided by a drunken Frenchman. Notwithstanding her 
great suffering in her fears, the river was crossed in safety, and she 
found herself once more in the association of her family. Mrs. Pal- 
mer, some years before her marriage, had connected herself with 
the Methodist Church, which she adorned by a consistent life, for 
nearly sixty years. In one respect there was a marked contrast be- 
tween her and Mrs. Noble, just above mentioned, for although she 
was quite regular and constant in her attendance on the regular ser- 
vices of the Church, she never took any active part in religious meet- 
ings. Although she was a very intelligent woman, well educated, 
and could converse intelligently on religion or any other subject in 
private, her natural timidity prevented her from saying anything in 
public. She was large and commanding in person and of noble 
presence. She was always strongly attached to the Church and sup- 
ported it liberally during her life, and had always expressed a pur- 
pose to make some kind of a bequest to the Church, but like too 
many others, not anticipating death so near, she was carried off 
without having made any such provision. Her husband had died 
some years before — in 1868. Fortunately she had a son who was 
the principal heir, who had so much love and veneration for his 
mother that he afterwards voluntarily carried out what he thought 
to be, substantially, his mother's design. He gave, in her name,y£z>£ 
thousand dollars to the " Superannuated Preachers' Aid Society of 
the Detroit Annual Conference," for a permanent fund, which, by the 
action of that Society, is to be known as the Mary A. Palmer Fund, 
with two conditions — that the interest only shall be used, and, that 
whenever Manasseh Hickey, Elijah H. Pilcher, and Seth Reed, or 
either of them become superannuated, one-third of the interest shall 
be appropriated to each of them, annually, during life, and to their 
widows after them, in like manner. In the meantime, and after their 
death the interest goes into the general funds of the Society. These 
are ministers who had been her pastors in her earlier years, and for 
whom she had a great friendship ; and, further, he annually appro- 
priates twenty-five dollars to the Jefferson Avenue Methodist Church 
in the name of his mother. Thus Hon. Thomas W. Palmer, of 
Detroit, endeavors to carry out what he thinks would be the will 
of that mother. 

Mrs. Palmer was born in Fairhaven, Vermont, in 1795, and first 
came to Detroit with her parents in 1810. She died, after a very 
brief illness, on March 19th, 1874, having the respect and good will 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 1 47 

of all who knew her. She was a sincere, quiet Christian and chari- 
table woman, and "endured as seeing Him that is invisible." She 
left a son (Thomas W. Palmer), a daughter (Mrs. Julia E. Hubbard), 
a grand-daughter (Miss Mary E. Roby), and a host of friends to 
mourn her absence. She was one of the originators of the Protestant 
Orphan Asylum in Detroit, and for many years was connected with 
it in an official capacity, and was deeply interested in the workings of 
the institution. She had very quick and active sympathies for the 
sufferings of the needy and distressed. 

Thus one of the old, benevolent, Christian women of Detroit 
has been enrolled with the dead, and, yet, she lives in the agencies 
put in operation for the benefit of the needy ; and we have good 
confidence that she lives with her Saviour. 

There is one point in this narrative on which it is proper to 
comment — that is, her failure to make the bequest contemplated. In 
her case it came out well simply because of the honorable venera- 
tion of her son for her memory; but there are few such sons and 
heirs. Men and women of means, who contemplate doing anything 
for the cause of God and humanity, had better do it themselves, and 
during their life-time. Time is short and life is uncertain, and wills 
and bequests are often set aside when made, and this kind of work 
had better be done at once. There is, also, great carelessness in 
the preparation of wills, so that very few bequests are ever realized 
by the objects for which they were designed by the testator. If 
people depend on wills for benevolence, let them have them carefully 
drawn, and executed in good time. 

Rev. Isaac C. Hunter was sent to Detroit Circuit in 1824, which 
brings him within the line of our History. As he is dead, it is very 
fitting that we should give some special notice of him in this place. 
He united with the Conference, as an itinerant preacher, in 181 9, 
and labored with a good degree of success and usefulness, upon the 
whole, until his death. He remained upon the Detroit Circuit only 
one year, which was rather a barren year for good. The reason for 
this we have before mentioned when giving an account of the work 
in Detroit Circuit, in which, also, we gave some account of Mr. 
Hunter ; but we propose now a fuller memoir. After leaving Michi- 
gan he became more pious and more useful than he had been before. 
He was the Presiding Elder in the Kanawha District in Virginia, in 
1829-30, which included Nicholas Circuit, when the writer labored 
on that Circuit — the first year he traveled as a preacher. In those 
mountain regions we formed a very pleasant acquaintance with him, 
or rather renewed it, for he had traveled the Circuit in which our 



1 48 HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

father resided, and often stopped there the first year after he left 
Detroit. We give a short extract from the official memoir, as fur- 
nished in the Minutes of the Ohio Conference for the year 1842 : 

"Rev. Isaac C. Hunter was a native of Pennsylvania, born in 
Bellefonte, Centre County, August 30th, 1793. He received twenty- 
three appointments to different stations, and for years was a success- 
ful Presiding Elder, and had the confidence and esteem of the min- 
istry and membership with whom he labored and to which he be- 
longed. He had a strong and vigorous mind, which he cultivated 
assiduously by applying himself to the Bible and such other studies 
as tended to increase his knowledge of the Bible. God honored him 
in life with success in his labors and with triumph in his death. But 
he is no more — for the Lord has taken him, and has left the Church 
shrouded in mourning and his widow and orphan children bathed in 
tears. In May, 1842, he was seized with a violent cold, which pro- 
duced inflammation of the lungs, and on the 27th of June terminated 
in death. During his illness he was patient and happy. Although 
his afflictions were great, yet grace sustained him ; and when the 
closing scene was nigh, and the lamp of life was flickering in its 
socket, and his weeping friends stood and gazed on the dissolution 
of the earthly house, he beheld " a house not made with hands, eter- 
nal in the heavens." His face was illuminated with a heavenly smile, 
and his eyes, even in death, sparkled with joy ; and with the trium- 
phant shout he bid adieu to all below, and now, with all the sanctified, 
enjoys an endless rest." 

We here introduce a name which has been incidentally men- 
tioned before, but it is worthy of a further notice. The circum- 
stances of her conversion and the activity of her labor are worthy of 
note. Her residence was at Monroe, as heretofore mentioned. Her 
mother was a widow, and, although not a Methodist, she invited Rev. 
J. P. Kent, when he first went to Monroe to preach, in 1820, to make 
his home at her house, whenever he came around. He did fre- 
quently stop there during the two years he supplied the Circuit. 
The daughter was handsome and gay — fond of society and worldly 
amusements; and the circumstances indicated that she was utterly 
thoughtless on the subject of religion. But Divine truth, under the 
ministration of Mr. Kent, took effect, and, to the astonishment and 
chagrin of her gay companions, Miss Sarah Harvey made a profes- 
sion of religion, and joined the Methodist Episcopal Church, which 
was then very feeble in the place. Being talented and well educated, 
she at once became active and useful in the cause. She attended the 
Camp Meeting, which Mr. Kent held on the Rouge in the summer 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 1 49 

of 1822, and was a very useful laborer. It is not at all surprising, 
under these circumstances, that the junior preacher, who succeeded 
Mr. Kent the next year, was so captivated and taken that he sought 
to make her his companion in his ministerial work ; nor is it surpris- 
ing that, with the ardent desire she then had to do good, she should 
consent to be identified with the itinerant ministry; and she became 
Mrs. Rev. Samuel Baker. But he soon died, and, in due time, she 
became Mrs. Rev. yohn A. Baughman, and with him shared the 
labors and responsibilities of an itinerant minister's life for many 
years. After she came to have the responsibility of a family, as was 
very natural, she relaxed somewhat in the activity of her Christian 
labor. Many of her later years were accompanied with much suffer- 
ing, and she had to give up Church work entirely ; and, yet, she 
always found great delight in attending the class-meetings whenever 
it was practicable. After the death of her husband, which preceded 
hers by five years, she made her home with her son-in-law, Bela 
Hubbard, Esq. We here subjoin a brief memoir of her : 

Mrs. Sarah H. Baughman was born near Rochester, New York, 
January 2 2d, 1799, of English parentage. She removed to Monroe, 
Michigan, with her widowed mother, in May, 181 6. She was con- 
verted to God and joined the Methodist Episcopal Church at Monroe, 
under the labors of Rev. John P. Kent, in 182 1. At the time of her 
conversion she was very decided in her convictions of the correctness 
of Methodist doctrines, and identified herself fully with the Church, 
although it was very feeble in that locality at that time. She was 
married to Rev. Samuel Baker at Monroe in August, 1823, and went 
with him to Conference at Urbana, Ohio, on horseback. Mr. Baker 
was taken sick at Conference, and died in a few days, and she was 
left alone among strangers and to return to Michigan, which she did. 
On her return, she was, for some time, lost in the woods, and had to 
endure all the painful sensations of being hopelessly lost in a forest 
She finally succeeded in finding a way out. She remained at Monroe, 
and did what she could to advance the interests of the feeble Church 
— for she was an active Christian then — till she was married to Rev. 
John A. Baughman, which took place in Monroe in May, 1826, when 
she removed with him to Ohio, where she remained till he was trans- 
ferred to the Michigan Conference in 1838. After her marriage with 
Mr. Baughman, her life became merged with his, and she fully shared 
with him the labors and inconveniences of an itinerant life for many 
years. She died in Detroit, where she had resided for many of her 
latter years, March 19th, 1873. She fell asleep in Jesus, and lives 
with Him in His glorious kingdom. 



I 50 HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

It is said that, during her girlhood's days at Monroe, she was 
known as a person of unusually attractive manners, and full of life 
and frolic. At that time there was much social intercourse between 
the French and the settlers from the Eastern States, and she was 
often a visitant with them in gay circles at Detroit. Her conversion 
and connection with the Methodist Episcopal Church must have cost 
her a great struggle, and must have made a very marked change in 
her feelings and life ; for she became a decided and active Christian. 
From the time of her marriage with Mr. Baughman, she devoted her- 
self cheerfully and actively to the duties and hardships, which were 
inseparable from the position of a Methodist minister's wife, itiner- 
ating throughout the large and sparsely populated Circuits of Ohio 
and Michigan, as they were then. 

Mrs. Baughman was a lady of more than ordinary intellectual 
ability, refined in manners and tastes, and she always moved with 
grace and elegance in the most refined circles of society in the places 
where her husband was stationed. For a good many of her last 
years her health was quite delicate, and she lived in quiet retire- 
ment, and in the enjoyment of the sweet consolations of that religion 
which she had professed for so many years. 

We had reserved a space here for a memorial notice of an able 
and excellent Presbyterian minister, but, failing to receive the items 
from his family, we now fill it with another, whose memoir will be 
read with great satisfaction and profit by many. 

Rev. Jonathan Edwards Chaplin, a great-grandson of the much- 
esteemed and eminent Jonathan Edwards, was born in Chaplin, 
Windham County, Connecticut, in the year 1 789. His parents were 
respectable, religious, and liberal supporters of religious institutions. 
He removed, when young, to the State of New York, where he com- 
menced and completed the study of law, after having graduated at 
Yale College. He was an able logician, and when, in his senior year 
in college, President Dwight gave the class an opportunity to ques- 
tion his doctrines, he entered the lists, and controverted the doctrines 
of Calvinism, and, in his own estimation and that of the class, he 
triumphed over the Doctor. This gave him great self-complacency 
and consequence in his own eyes. Having no evangelical — Arminian 
— instruction, he wandered into Unitarianism, then into Universalism, 
and, finally and naturally, into downright infidelity. 

Some time during the War of 181 2 he was appointed aid-de- 
camp to General Porter, on the north frontier, where he acquired the 
habit of intemperance, from which he was subsequently delivered by 
converting grace. Soon after the close of the war he came to the 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. I 51 

West, and settled at Urbana, Champaign County, Ohio, where he 
entered on the practice of law, in which he continued until the time 
of his entrance upon the work of the ministry, 

In connection with his law practice he continued the practice of 
intoxication until he reached the lowest point of degradation. Being 
a man of great versatility of talent, quick of wit and repartee, and 
having an almost exhaustless fund of anecdote, after he became a 
sot landlords and hotel-keepers would board him for days, to collect 
and hold company for them by his wit and humorous stories. He 
had proceeded so far in his drunkenness and infidelity that he had 
been known to administer baptism and the sacrament to a dog. He 
had become utterly abandoned, and reduced to the lowest state of 
poverty. In reflecting on his state, he came to the conclusion that 
there was only one way by which he could be saved from a drunkard's 
grave and a drunkard's hell, that was, to become a Christian, if possi- 
ble for him. Having come to this conclusion, his breath still steaming 
with liquor, he attended a watch-night meeting on the last night of 
the year 1829, held by Rev. John F. Wright, at which it pleased God 
to awaken him thoroughly to a sense of his lost condition. He came 
forward to the altar as a penitent, and, about the time the clock 
struck twelve, he gave Mr. Wright his hand as an applicant for 
Church membership. Some of the brethren thought he was now 
only mocking, but he was sincere. These ministers encouraged him, 
and, in a few days afterwards, at his own fireside, he received the 
knowledge of salvation by the remission of sins through faith in Jesus 
Christ, and never after drank a drop of spirituous liquors. He was 
saved from the appetite. 

In 1833, when Rev. H. O. Sheldon, who had the matter in 
charge, was looking for a man to take the charge of the Norwalk 
Seminary, Ohio, which was then under Methodist patronage, Mr. 
Chaplin was recommended to him as suitable for the place. He went 
to Urbana and engaged him. He continued in that institution until 
1837, and succeeded very well. 

In the year 1834 a Camp Meeting was held near what is now 
Clyde, in Northern Ohio. Mr. Chaplin was present. A missionary 
sermon was preached. A preacher was carrying a hat to take the 
collection, still exhorting as he went. Mr. Chaplin and the other 
ministers were on the stand. Mr. Chaplin arose, and holding out an 
iron tobacco-box, called to the preacher, who was near the centre of 
the congregation : " Brother Sheldon ! I have been a slave to 
tobacco. I was formerly a poor drunkard. When I quit my cups, I 
thought some stimulant necessary, and retained my tobacco. I do 



152 HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

not say, I will do without it, but I say, by God's grace I will do with- 
out it. I here give my tobacco-box to the Missionary Society, and, 
if I am enabled to do without, I will give, annually, what I now expend 
for tobacco, which is a shilling a week, or six dollars and a quarter a 
year. The box was taken and sold to the highest bidder, who kept 
it a few minutes and returned it, saying : " There, I don't want this. 
I give it to the Missionary Society." It was sold again to the high- 
est bidder, who was the preacher himself, who has kept it ever since, 
making use of it, sometimes, when taking missionary collections. At 
the next Annual Conference Mr. Chaplin came to the preacher, 
having his countenance much improved, and presented him the six 
dollars and a quarter for the Missionary Society. " Well," said the 
preacher, " how did you get along without tobacco ?" He replied : 
" The first ddy I was lost ; the second, sick ; the third, liked to have 
died ; the fourth, got better ; the fifth, still better ; in a week was 
hearty as a bear ; and have never enjoyed such health as I have 
since." Happy would it be for some others if they would adopt the 
same course and adhere to it firmly. 

In August, 1834, he was received on trial in the Ohio Confer- 
ence, and was appointed Principal of the Norwalk Seminary, in 
which he had now been for one year. In due time he was admitted 
into full connection, and ordained Deacon and Elder at the proper 
periods. After he left the Seminary he served in the following 
stations successively, viz., Elyria, Detroit, Tiffin and Maumee City. 

In 1842 he was transferred from the North Ohio Conference to 
Michigan, and appointed Principal of the branch of the University 
located at White Pigeon, a post which he held until death put a 
period to all his labors. In this truly responsible position, such was 
his catholic spirit, such the judicious management of his school, that, 
while he was beloved by his pupils, he acquired the confidence of 
the entire community in which he lived, and gave satisfaction to all 
parties. 

His last illness was a painful one — his sufferings, indeed, were 
most intense — yet, grace so sustained him that " patience had its 
perfect work." For the most part, his mind seemed to be absorbed 
in the contemplation of God ; his continual theme was holiness. He 
said to a friend that it was " not enough to perform the external 
duties of religion, we must be holy. O that I could see Brother 
Steward, and hear him pronounce that word holiness with his wonted 
emphasis ! Brother Fuller, we must live holiness." He would some- 
times say to his beloved wife : •• If God should see fit to raise me 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. I 53 

up to preach again the Everlasting Gospel, my God assisting me, I 
will preach it from the heart!' 

A few hours before he expired, being asked how it as with him, 
he replied: "All is well; all is peace; all is glory! I shall soon be 
with the dear Redeemer." That "God would convert poor, perish- 
ing sinners," formed his last prayer. 

Soon after his conversion, Mr. Chaplin became a successful 
Temperance lecturer. Rev. William H. Raper, late of the Ohio 
Conference, in alluding to this fact, says : " In that work he did 
great good. His Temperance lectures were, sometimes, like a tem- 
pest, and scores in the Judicial District where he practiced law were 
reclaimed." 

He took a deep and abiding interest in the cause of education. 
From the very moment he became identified with the Methodist 
itinerancy, he did all in his power to elevate the character of our 
Western ministry, and promote a love of literature among the 
people generally. 

"As a preacher, he was eloquent, impressive, energetic. His 
eloquence was, emphatically, Ciceronian, strong and terse in style 
and clear in logic, with little redundancy of language. When a 
lawyer he was successful, and when he became a preacher and 
teacher he maintained his success. As a member of Conference, 
his brethren often had occasion to avail themselves of his legal 
knowledge ; and it is not too much to say that, in matters of com- 
mon life, as well as in Church polity, he was a safe counselor. He 
was cheerful under all the vicissitudes of life — indeed, this was a 
most striking characteristic of his character. He was open-hearted, 
confiding, and generous, to a fault, ardent in temperament, lively in 
conversation, agreeable in manners, a warm friend, a social and 
interesting companion, a gentleman, a scholar, and a Christian. 
With these qualities, it would have been passing strange if he had 
not been esteemed and loved by all who knew him. His dying 
words ought to be imprinted on every minister's heart, so that they 
should remember and profit by them — ' Live holiness^ and preach it 
from the heart.'" 

As has already been said, Mr. Chaplin possessed a large amount 
of humor and wit, and, when he was converted, these elements of his 
nature were not destroyed, but sanctified. His sallies of wit and his 
anecdotes, instead of being designed to excite the laughter of the silly, 
gaping crowd, partook of the intellectual and moral. 

He died September 15th, 1846, aged fifty-seven years. When 
such a man was to be laid in the grave, the whole community felt 



I 54 HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

the shock, for he was a man for all. But he is taken from the 
toils and sufferings of this present world to the enjoyments of the 
heavenly. 

In the foregoing sketch we have mainly copied the official 
memoir, as found in the Minutes for 1847. 

One more minister was brought into connection with the work 
in Michigan by being appointed Presiding Elder of the Detroit 
District in 1838. He had previously labored in Ohio, but now he 
became fully identified with Michigan. His first appointment was 
to Detroit District, and his last was to Flint District, for a second 
term, which he was serving at the time of his death. He did a great 
deal of active work for the Church, and had a good capacity for 
getting other people to work. He had served more years in the 
Presiding Eldership than any other man in Michigan, except Dr. 
Pilcher. We will here record the official memoir, as found in the 
Minutes for 1868: 

" Rev. George Smith died at his residence in Ann Arbor, May 
4th, 1868, aged fifty-nine years. He was born in Hampshire County,. 
Virginia, but in early life was taken by his parents to Ohio, where 
he was converted and joined the Methodist Episcopal Church. In 
1830, at the age of twenty-one, he was licensed as a local preacher, 
and joined the Ohio Conference in 1832, and was appointed to 
Mount Gilead Circuit. The next year he traveled Dover Circuit. 
In 1834 he was ordained Deacon and appointed to Medina Circuit. 
In 1835 ne was appointed in charge of Mansfield Circuit. During 
this year the Michigan Conference was organized, and Brother Smith, 
at its first session, was ordained Elder, and stationed at Richfield 
for 1836-7. In 1838 he was married to Mrs. Elizabeth Smur, of 
Holmes County, Ohio, and the next September, at the third session 
of the Michigan Conference, was appointed Presiding Elder of 
Detroit District. After filling this appointment four years, he was 
Presiding Elder of Marshall District for four years. In 1846-7 he 
had charge of South Albion Circuit; in 1848 of Adrian, and in 1849 
of Ann Arbor, and in 1851 of Plymouth Circuit. From 1852 to 
1856 he was Presiding Elder of Flint District, and, from 1856 to 
to i860, Presiding Elder of Ann Arbor District. In i860 he was 
appointed to Wayne Circuit, but, from 1861 to 1865, he was again 
Presiding Elder of Adrian District. In 1865 he was stationed at 
Chelsea, and in 1866 he was again appointed Presiding Elder of 
Flint District, which position he held at the time of his death. Thus, 
it will be seen that twenty-two out of the thirty-five years of his 
ministry, after he was admitted to the Conference, he held the office 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 1 55 

of Presiding Elder. His sound judgment, his comprehensive views, 
and his impartial kindness, and the confidence which others reposed 
in him, eminently fitted him for the responsible position. In all his 
appointments he was successful and useful, and many have been 
converted under his ministry. He was a hearty friend of the edu- 
cational cause and of all the institutions of the Church. Careful, 
and rather inclined to be conservative in his views, and charitable 
towards all, he devoted himself to execute the ordinances of the 
Church, leaving it to others to change or modify its regulations. He 
was a member of the General Conference of 1844, an d was one 
of the very few members of the Northern Conferences who voted 
against the action which led the Southern Conferences to secede 
from the Church. As a preacher, Brother Smith was eminently 
earnest and practical, and thousands of people from all parts of our 
State will cherish his memory with deep affection. His last illness 
was sudden and protracted, and caused him great suffering, but, 
though reluctant, at first, to give up his work, he bore his afflictions 
patiently, and, with unfaltering confidence, resigned his spirit into 
the arms of his Saviour. He deserves ever to be remembered as 
one of the pioneers of civilization and Christianity in the State of 
Michigan." 

Mr. Smith was a safe and good counselor in the affairs of the 
Church, and was very much respected by the people wherever he 
had labored. He had acquired a good property, and left his family 
in very comfortable circumstances. 



^r *\s$? 




I 56 HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 




CHAPTER VIII. 

Detroit — Origin — Growth — Casualties — Periodicals — Commerce — Religious Societies — 

Schools — Men. 

[HIS city holds so important a place in our annals that it 
would be expected that something more than a mere pass- 
ing notice should be given ; for, for a long time, this was 
all there was of Michigan, so far as settlement was con- 
cerned. We purpose, therefore, to devote this chapter to 
its history, but we can only furnish a summary. 
Until one hundred and seventy-six years ago — 1877 — none but 
savages inhabited all of this beautiful Peninsula of Michigan. No 
foot of civilized man had planted itself, permanently, on this soil. 
Only a few adventurous travelers had coasted along its lake shores, 
and had camped for a night among its beautiful groves. Its glades 
and prairies were unmarked by the plowshare, and its forests were 
untouched by the axe of civilization. The deer, the wolf, the bear, 
the elk, roamed its forests freely, or were chased only by the savage, 
with the rude implements of death. The beaver made his dams 
without fear, and played sportively in the accumulated waters. But 
the day has come when a change is to be inaugurated. The adven- 
turers had discovered that there were desirable points for trade with 
the savages — the aborigines of this country. These adventurers 
were from France, and were incited by a desire for gain, or for fame 
as discoverers, and not to find a home for liberty and religious tol- 
eration. They were all Romanists, and had no desire for either 
civil or religious freedom. Neither had they any desire to plant the 
standard of a high and noble civilization ; for they readily conformed 
to the habits and customs of the wild men of the forest, and were at 
once received as their brothers. Among the most desirable of these 
points of trade was Detroit, or the strait connecting Lakes St. Clair 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. I 57 

and Erie. The banks along the border of this river, or strait, pre- 
sented a most enchanting appearance, dressed in their native green 
and gemmed with beautiful wild flowers. In their primeval state they 
were most gorgeously adorned. So beautiful were they that it seemed 
almost like a sacrilege to think of disturbing them, and making them 
the home of restless, civilized man, or to break their quiet by the hum 
of business or the excitements of pleasure. 

Mr. Bancroft says : " The country on the Detroit River and 
Lake St. Clair was esteemed the loveliest in Canada. Nature had 
lavished all her charms — slopes and prairies, plains and noble 
forests, fountains and rivers ; the lands, though of different degrees 
of fertility, were all productive ; the isles seemed as if scattered by 
art to delight the eye ; the lake and river abounded with fish ; the 
water was pure as crystal ; the air serene; the genial climate, temper- 
ate and giving health, charmed the emigrant from Lower Canada."* 

Charlevoix, who traveled through this country in 1720, as 
quoted by Mr. Lanman, says of Detroit: "It is pretended that this 
is the finest part of all Canada ; and, really, if we can judge by 
appearances, nature seems to deny it nothing which can contribute 
to make a country delightful ; hills, meadows, fields, lofty forests, 
rivulets, fountains, rivers, and all of them so excellent in their kind, 
and so happily blended as to equal the most romantic wishes."-)- 

So much for the appearance of the country as it presented itself 
to the travelers of that early day. At that time all this region was 
called Canada. 

The present site of the city was considered the most favorable 
spot for establishing the trading-post. There had been a small 
settlement at "Old Mackinaw" for some time before any was made 
at Detroit. Jean Marquette, a Jesuit priest, made a settlement 
there in 1670, and built a chapel for the instruction of the Indians. 
A few French adventurers had gone to Mackinaw Island. With 
this exception, no one had attempted to settle in Michigan until 
Detroit was fixed upon as a place for a fort and trading-post. 
Indeed, this is to be regarded as the first permanent settlement 
in the Northwest. It seemed to be admirably situated for such a 
purpose. The indications have proved true, as we shall hereafter 
see. 

A few more general remarks on the country may be allowed 
before we proceed directly to the consideration of the city. "The 
history of this region," in the language of one, " exhibits three 
distinct and strongly marked epochs. The first may be properly* 

* History United States, Vol. 3, pp. 194, 195. t History of Michigan. 



I 58 HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

denominated the romantic, which extends to the year 1760, when 
its dominion passed from the hands of the French to the English. 
This was the period when the first beams of civilization had scarcely- 
penetrated its forests, and the paddles of the French fur-traders 
swept the lakes, and the boat-songs of the voyageurs awakened the 
tribes on their wild and romantic shores. 

" The second epoch is the military, which commenced with the 
Pontiac War, running down through the successive struggles of the 
British, the Indians, and the Americans, to obtain dominion of the 
country, and ending with the victory of Commodore Perry, the 
defeat of Proctor, the victory of General Harrison and the death of 
Tecumseh, the leader of the Anglo-savage conspiracy, on the banks 
of the Thames. 

" The third may be denominated the enterprising, the hardy, the 
mechanical and working period, commencing with the opening of the 
country to emigrant settlers, the age of agriculture, commerce, and 
manufactures, of harbors, cities, canals, and railroads ; when the 
landscapes of the forests were meted out by the compass and chain 
of the surveyor ; when its lakes and rivers were sounded, and their 
capacity to turn the wheel of a mill, or to float a ship, was demon- 
strated, thus opening up avenues of commerce and industry. Its 
wild and savage character has passed away, and given place to 
civilization, religion, and commerce, inviting the denizens of over- 
crowded cities to its broad lakes and beautiful rivers, to its rich mines 
and fertile prairies, and promising a rapid and abundant remunera- 
tion for toil."* 

The condition and development of the country has a very im- 
portant bearing on the condition and growth of the city ; for, in all 
liberal or free governments, commerce and trade will seek their 
natural channels ; and towns and cities will spring up at the most 
convenient points for that commerce and trade. Good harbors on 
the lakes, rivers, and ocean shore are regarded as indispensable to 
the establishment of a city. It is a marvel to us now how the cities 
of antiquity were ever made to thrive, situated, as many of them 
were, in the interior of the country, and surrounded by rock-bound 
hills and towering mountains. But our city, as we shall see, is most 
favorably situated on the eastern border of a most rich and fertile 
State, and possessing a harbor, the superior of which does not exist 
From its situation, it only requires time, and the appliances of the 
arts of civilization, to rear up a magnificent city, as enduring as time 
itself. 



* Old Mackinaw, by Strickland, pp. 143, 144. 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. I 59 

This leads us now directly to the historical sketch of the City of 
Detroit. Where is it ? All know that it is the chief city of the State 
of Michigan and located on its eastern border. Yet this does not 
exactly answer our question. " The City of Detroit is situated on the 
north shore of the Detroit River, or strait, connecting Lakes Erie and 
St. Clair. The river is the boundary line between Michigan and Can- 
ada West. The city is eighteen miles north and east of the head of 
Lake Erie, and seven miles west of Lake St. Clair, three hundred 
miles west of Buffalo, and five hundred and forty-five from Wash- 
ington, in latitude 42 , 19', 53", north, and longitude west 82 , 58" 
or from Washington west 5 , 56', 12". Difference in time from 
Washington, 33', 44"; New York City, 34', 48". 

" The history of Detroit is most intimately connected with the 
history of the whole Northwest, as its settlement dates among the 
first on the American continent. Founded in the strife for sover- 
eignty between the English and French Governments, it became, 
at an early day, a point of central influence, importance and action. 
No place in the United States, it has been observed, presents such a 
series of events, interesting in themselves, and permanently affect- 
ing, as they occurred, its progress and prosperity. Five times its flag 
has been changed. First the Lily of France floated over its fortress, 
then the Red Cross of England, and next the Stripes and Stars of the 
United States, and then, again, the Red Cross, and, lastly, the Stripes 
and Stars. 

" Three different sovereigns have claimed its allegiance, and, 
since it has been held by the United States, its Government has been 
thrice transferred ; twice it has been besieged by the Indians ; once 
captured in war, and once burned to the ground. Fire has scattered 
it — the tomahawk, scalping-knife and war-club have been let loose 
upon it, in the hands of an unrelenting, savage foe. It has been the 
scene of one surrender, of more than fifty pitched battles, and twelve 
horrid massacres. 

" The present site of the city was occupied by Indian villages at 
the period of the discovery of the country. In 1610 it was first 
visited by the French. The whole lake region, from the period of 
discovery until 1762, was under the dominion of France, The legiti- 
mate settlement of the city was in 1701, at which time a fort called 
' Ponchartrain' was erected."* 

On the old French maps the River Savoyard is represented 
as running through the city, and discharging its waters into the 
Detroit River a little east of the Michigan Central Railroad Depot 

* City of Detroit, 1855, p. 3. 



I 60 HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

It has long since disappeared. It was formed from the water in the 
swampy land — heavily timbered, extending back from the Detroit 
River ; it was, simply, the drainage from this timber-belt. As strange 
as it may now seem, " it was sometimes a large stream ; and I have 
known it necessary to take people living on its margin out of their 
windows into a canoe and carry them ashore. This was after long- 
continued rains. But our modern subterranean rivers have done 
the work for the Savoyard — its glory has departed — it is among the 
things that were but are not. It obtained its name from old Peter 
Berthelet — the grandfather of those yet among us. He kept a 
pottery on the west side of its mouth, near the outlet of the present 
grand sewer. He bore the nickname of ' Savoyard ' probably be- 
cause himself or his ancestors were from Savoy. He always went 
by that name. Mrs. Shelden has, in some way, transformed it to 
1 Xavier,' which it never bore." We are indebted to the late Hon.. 
B. F. H. Witherell for this quotation. The course of this river was 
from the woods in the rear of the town, along by the east line 
of Michigan Grand Avenue into Congress Street, and thence along 
that street, for some distance, till it made a curve toward the Detroit 
River. The bank of Detroit River gradually rose to a ridge, where 
Jefferson Avenue is located, and then declined a little, giving direc- 
tion to the Savoyard. The subsoil, being a stiff clay, occasioned a. 
great deal of stagnant water in the summer season and a vast 
amount of mud in the spring and fall. It is still in the memory of 
many yet living that teams were mired on Woodward Avenue. But,, 
since a thorough system of sewerage has been adopted and carried 
out, these evils have been removed, and "The Savoyard " is no more. 
We have given so much space to this river because it has been 
so completely obliterated that the coming generations would have 
entirely forgotten it, if its existence were not fully stated. The loca- 
tion of this city is considered to be one of the most delightful in the 
United States. It is one of the most healthy, too, that can any- 
where be found. It is well situated for trade and commerce. The 
harbor is all that could be desired. The manufactures and mercan- 
tile establishments are equal to the demands of the country. 

Detroit has been a place of resort for the Indians of the North- 
west for so long a time that "the memory of man runneth not" back 
to the beginning ; and it was selected by its founders for its advan- 
tages for trade among the aborigines. Precisely at what time it was 
first visited by any white man we have no means of determining, as 
the early traders and adventurous hunters made no records of their 
wanderings amid these far-off wilds. It had been visited as early as. 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. I 6 1 

1668 — but how much earlier we know not, though it is said to have 
been as early as 1610. 

When was the city founded ? M. de la Molte Cadillac, a French 
adventurer, made application to the French Government for authori- 
ty and means, in 1700, to establish a fort and settlement at this 
point. Through the intervention of M. Ponchartrain, he obtained 
what he required, so that, in July, 1701, he arrived here, having with 
him about one hundred French adventurers, some fur-traders and 
a Catholic priest. He laid out a town, and enclosed it and a fort 
with pickets, giving it the name of Fort Ponchartrain, in honor of 
his patron, Count Ponchartrain. They addressed themselves, main- 
ly, to traffic among the Indians. No special effort was made to 
cultivate the soil to any considerable extent, though a few pear trees 
were planted and some other fruits. 

So far separated from other settlements, on the frontier for 
many years, Detroit has been the theater of as many perils, stirring 
scenes, and disasters, in its progress, as any other city on this conti- 
nent, and perhaps more. While it was under the undisputed do- 
minion of the French, with a single exception all was peace. Why 
was this ? The facility with which the French could adapt them- 
selves to the habits and customs of the Indians gave them perfect 
immunity among them. They could eat, sleep, sing, dance and hunt 
with them — in short, be Indians in everything except color. No 
efforts were made, except by a party of strangers, to disturb this 
new settlement while it continued under the French dominion; but, as 
soon as it passed from their hands to the English, annoyances began. 
This refers to those whose residences were in this region. It seemed 
at once to become a troubled city. 

In 1 71 2 the town of Detroit was attacked by a "party of Otto- 
gamies, or Foxes — a nation, passionate and untamable, springing up 
into new life from every defeat, and, though reduced in the number of 
their warriors, yet present everywhere by their ferocious enterprise 
and savage daring" — the town almost fell before the valor of the party. 
" Resolving to burn Detroit, they pitched their lodges near the fort, 
which Du Buisson, with but twenty Frenchmen, defended. Aware of 
their intentions, he summoned his Indian allies from the chase ; and, 
about the middle of May, Ottawas, Hurons, Potawatamies, with one 
band of the Sacs, Illinois, Menomenies, and even Osages and Mis- 
souris, each nation with its ensign, came to his relief. ' Father,' said 
they, ' behold ! thy children compass thee around. We will, if need 
be, die for our Father — only take care of our wives and children, and 
spread a little grass over our bodies to protect them from the flies.' 



I 62 HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

The warriors of the Fox nation, so far from destroying Detroit, were 
themselves besieged, and, at last, compelled to surrender at discre- 
tion. Those who bore arms were ruthlessly murdered ; the rest 
were distributed as slaves among the confederates, to be saved or 
massacred at the will of their masters."* 

Detroit was given up to the English at the close of the " Old 
French War," in 1 760, by the terms of the treaty of peace between 
the two powers, though the English did not take possession till 1762. 
The stiff and uncompliant disposition of the English did not please 
the savages; and, smarting under the recollection of the conflicts in 
New England, they were ready to embrace any measure that offered 
any hope of ridding the country of them. The encroachments of the 
English on the wild hunting-grounds of the Indians were very dis- 
pleasing to them ; and it is not to be wondered at, as they saw they 
would have to retire from familiar scenes and the graves of their 
ancestors, that they should struggle against it. When they came 
into the possession of the Fort and City of Detroit, the natives were 
very much chagrined and vexed. They had at this time among them 
a man of remarkable ability and daring, who wished to destroy the 
English garrison here ; but, like Haman of old, he scorned to lay 
hands on it alone, and he entered into — or, rather, originated — a 
scheme to destroy all the forts in the West. Pontiac's conspiracy for 
the destruction of Detroit, in 1763, is now well known. His object 
was not so much the destruction of the town as to destroy the 
English ; for, all the time during his siege, the French settlers could 
circulate freely, without molestation ; their property was safe. His 
general plan was to attack all the chain of forts simultaneously, and 
he reserved Detroit for himself. Finding he could not succeed by a 
direct attack, he resorted to stratagem, and so well was his plan laid 
that it would most certainly have succeeded had he not been be- 
trayed. 

There were some of the most tragic scenes enacted in connection 
with Pontiac's siege that are recorded of any town on this continent. 
His plot was deep-laid, and would have accomplished his purpose 
had no one informed the British commander of his intentions. He, 
with a number of his principal men went to the fort under the pre- 
tense of a friendly parley, all armed with short guns, made for the 
purpose, concealed under their blankets, while many of his men 
were gathered around, engaged, professedly, in play, who were to 
rush into the fort at a given signal. But the signal was not given, 
because he found the commander prepared for him. When he found 

* Bancroft's United States, III., pp. 224, 225. 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. I 63 

himself betrayed, with great reluctance he raised the siege and re- 
tired. 

In connection with Pontiac's conspiracy, a most desperate and 
bloody battle was fought on the banks of a small creek above the 
city, which winds through Elmwood Cemetery, and gives to it the 
beauty of its scenery — which battle is said to have given the creek 
the significant name of " Bloody Run." 

Pontiac, having been foiled in his purposes, and having retired 
with his warriors from the neighborhood of the city, the little gar- 
rison and the few English settlers breathed freely, and business 
resumed its usual course. 

Detroit remained in the occupancy and possession of the British 
until 1 796, although, when the peace of the Revolution was con- 
cluded, in 1 783, it was recognized as belonging to the United States. 
Why it was so held it is difficult to determine. Probably, if the 
United States Government had sent soldiers to occupy the fort and 
protect the inhabitants, the British soldiers would have left. Things 
were allowed to move slowly along in this locality, without anything, 
in particular, to break the even current of events, until the Terri- 
torial Government of Michigan was provided for by Congress in 

1804. General William Hull was appointed Governor, and a Ju- 
diciary, composed of Augustus B. Woodward, James Griffin and 
Francis Bates, who organized a Government at Detroit in July of 

1805. The Governor and Judges constituted the Legislative Coun- 
cil. Detroit was made the seat of Government, as a matter of 
course. " In 1807 Judge Bates resigned, and James Witherell was 
appointed in his place." 

Governor Hull arrived here on the twelfth day of June, 1805, 
to find the city a mass of charred ruins ; for the whole town, except- 
ing one house, was consumed by fire the day before. There were 
about one hundred and fifty houses in the town at the time of the fire. 
No special effort was made to extinguish the fire, except that the Cath- 
olic priest, Mr. Dilhet, fell upon his knees and said low mass. The 
distress must have been very great, as there were, at least, a hundred 
families thus deprived of shelter. Shortly after this catastrophe, an 
act of Congress was passed, directing the Governor and Judges to 
lay out a new town, including the site of the one destroyed, and ten 
thousand acres of adjacent lands were granted. This quantity of 
land was granted by the General Government for the city, to assist 
in relieving the calamity. 

The plan of the new town was drafted by Judge Woodward, 
and is very peculiar. The idea seems to have been suggested by a 



I 64 HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

spider's web. The original plan has been somewhat disturbed by 
more modern utilitarianism ; still, some of the old marks are left. 
The idea of several wide and airy streets or avenues as the main 
ribs in the web, as, also, several parks, was a very good one, and 
contributes both to the beauty and healthfulness of the city. The 
growth of the city in these early years was very slow, as there was 
nothing, in particular, to stimulate immigration, because of its iso- 
lated position. When this new town was laid out it was at once 
incorporated as a city — that is, in 1805. Detroit continued to be 
the seat of Government for the Territory, and for the State till 1 847, 
when by act of the Legislature the capital was removed to Lansing. 
War having been declared by the United States against Great 
Britain in 181 2, as was to have been expected, Detroit, being situ- 
ated on the border, was to become the theater of stirring events. 
Governor Hull had made preparations for defence, and the army had 
been increased until it was supposed it was prepared for any force 
that could be brought against it. The British army was concentrated 
on the opposite side of the Detroit River, at Windsor and Sandwich. 
It was confidently believed that General Hull could successfully cope 
with any force that could be brought to bear against him. On the 
1 6th day of August, 181 2, the battle opened — or, rather, the army of 
the British was put in array against Detroit ; but, before a single 
gun was fired from the fort, a demand was made for the surrender, 
which was ignobly acceded to by the commanding General — Hull — 
and, to the surprise and astonishment of all, the British flag was 
hoisted on the ramparts. Various conjectures have been indulged 
in in regard to the motives which induced him to do so. Some have 
charged him with cowardice and others with treachery. It certainly 
looks very much like one or the other. We will not attempt to solve 
the mystery — for it was mysterious — but will give what light we can. 
It was our good fortune, a few years since, to make the acquaintance 
of an old lady of intelligence, who was in the city at the time, then 
a young lady, and whose father's house was made the headquarters 
of the British commander, and the family had to retire to a small 
apartment. This lady subsequently married a British officer, and 
often heard them speak of General Hull. She said they always 
spoke of him as not being a coward, but that his surrender had its 
origin in some other cause. Of course, they did not openly say what 
the other cause was. On the day of the surrender, after the British 
officers had become settled in her father's house, she overheard one 
of the officers say, in relation to the surrender, that " British gold 
had done its work." Hull was tried for treason and cowardice ; was 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. I 65 

acquitted on the former and convicted on the latter, and sentenced 
to be shot, but was pardoned by the President. The probability is 
that vacillation and the want of real courage was the true solution. 

The British possession of Detroit was of short duration ; for 
the naval battle on Lake Erie, in which Commodore Perry gained a 
grand and memorable victory on the ioth of September, and the 
victory of General Harrison at the Thames, restored the city to the 
possession of the United States. "When the American flag was 
hauled down by General Hull, in 1812, at the time of the surrender, 
James May, Esq., a Colonel of Militia, got possession of it, and kept 
it until General Harrison arrived." Though the city passed into the 
hands of the British, the flag did not, and the very same flag waved 
over it after it was recovered that did so before the surrender. 
" Colonel Cass, with a brigade of soldiers, was left for the protection 
of the Territory, which they effectually accomplished until the treaty 
of peace, concluded at Ghent on the 17th of February, 181 5, put an 
end to all further hostilities." This introduces a new name to our 
notice, one that is, hereafter, to be identified with the interests of 
Detroit and to become dear to the people of Michigan — it is that of 
Lewis Cass. 

According to the census taken by the United States, in 1820, 
the whole population of the Territory was found to be only eight 
thousand eight hundred and ninety-six. " Detroit contained two hun- 
dred and fifty houses, and fourteen hundred and fifteen inhabitants 
independent of the garrison." An event had occurred, the year 
before, which tended to give new life to commerce on the lakes, and 
to stimulate immigration ; an event which was but the introduction 
to a series which have given character to the whole West, and, indeed, 
the influence of the same thing is now felt in every part of the civil- 
ilized world — that was, the introduction of steam navigation. The 
Walk-in-the-water, the first steamboat that ever floated on Lake 
Erie, made its first appearance in Detroit in the spring or summer 
of 1 8 19. She was a vessel of small tonnage, but was regarded at 
the time as a magnificent affair, and as one of the wonders of the 
world. She was so named for an Indian chief, who was associated 
with Tecumseh in the War of 181 2 on the side of the British against 
us. The name seemed to be appropriate, too, as the vessel seemed 
to be walking in the water. 

Another circumstance, occurring at a little later period, exerted, 
perhaps, a still greater influence upon the settlement of Michigan 
and the entire Northwest, as, also, on the interests and growth of 
Detroit — that was, the opening of the New York and Erie Canal, 



I 66 HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

or, " Clinton's Big Ditch," as some of the people at that time called 
it. This greatly increased the facilities and comforts of travel and 
the transportation of goods and merchandise. 

The present population of the city is about 1 20,000. According 

to the census taken in 1864, the population numbered fifty-three 

* thousand one hundred and seventy. It has a little more than doubled 

? its population in the last thirteen years. With the increase of popu- 

I lation and wealth, there has been a great advance in the architecture 

I and elegance of buildings, as places of business and residences. 

There are some very costly and beautiful residences, and there is a 

constant advance in this respect. 

Detroit is abundantly supplied with periodical literature. There 
are two large daily papers, and one smaller, having an extensive cir- 
culation. The Michigan Farmer is a weekly, devoted to the interests 
of agriculture. The Michigan Christian Advocate and the Herald 
and Torchlight are weeklies, devoted to religion and literature. 
There are numerous small papers devoted to specialties, and papers 
in the German language. The Michigan Christian Advocate was 
established January 1st, 1875, and the Herald and Torchlight, the 
Baptist organ, at a much earlier date. Both are well sustained. 

The first attempt at publishing a newspaper here was in 
1809. Rev. Gabriel Richard, the Roman Catholic priest, published 
a paper for a short time, entitled, Michigan Essay or Impartial 
Observer. It did not succeed. It was published in French, and, as 
the old French inhabitants were not much readers, he could not ob- 
tain sufficient patronage. In 181 7, John P. Sheldon commenced the 
publication of the Detroit Gazette, which proved a success, though 
that small weekly sheet has been succeeded by the much larger 
weeklies and dailies, and the Gazette is known only in history. 

Detroit, of course, is the principal point from which the daily 
news is distributed throughout the State, and, as such, the periodi- 
cals of the city will flourish and grow. The periodicals will increase 
in number and importance as the population increases. 

In regard to the commerce of Detroit, we quote liberally from 
one writer : 

" Detroit, from its first settlement in 1701, has ranked first as a 
commercial point on the Western lakes. A company, styled the 
1 Company of the Colony of Canada,' was incorporated by the 
Colony of Canada at a convention held at Quebec, October 31st, 
1 701, which conferred upon them the right 'to trade at Detroit in 
beaver and peltries, to the entire exclusion of all private individuals.' 

" M. de la Motte Cadillac, the first commandant at Detroit, who 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. I 6j 

was commissioned by Louis XIV., in a letter to Count Ponchartrain 
in 1703, says that his design, in projecting a trading-post here in 
1 701, was to afford protection to commerce ; since from this point 
we can go by canoe to all the nations that are around the lakes ; it 
is a door by which we can go in and out to trade with all our allies. 
And we find that Charlevoix, a French Jesuit missionary, who visited 
this city as early as 1720, speaks of a complaint that the English 
merchants sell merchandise to the savages cheaper than the French 
do, thereby drawing all the trade to New York. 

"In 1787, that patriarch native citizen among us, who was born 
just after the close of the Pontiac War, Joseph Campau, Esq., act- 
ively engaged in mercantile business here, and continued in it for 
about forty years. In early times, he annually visited the City of 
Montreal, conveying, in birch-bark canoes, cargoes of furs, etc., and 
returning with them freighted with goods." 

How changed is everything now! Long streets, lined with stores 
filled with goods ; railroads and steamers to bring and carry away 
the goods and products. Instead of the export of furs, merely, we 
now export almost everything that can be thought of — lumber, tim- 
ber, staves, copper and iron ore, wheat, corn, potatoes, apples, pork, 
beef, fish, and the like, in vast quantities. One, in walking the busy 
streets now, could hardly imagine that all the exports and imports at 
this port had once been conveyed in birch-bark canoes, propelled by 
hand, and, of course, coasting along the lake shore. But so it was. 

Various manufactures are carried on here on a liberal scale, and 
they are constantly increasing. 

As to religious Societies, or Churches, it is not necessary to say 
much in this chapter, as that subject has been thoroughly treated in 
the early chapters of this work. Still, a few words may be allowed 
here. The Roman Catholic Church was established at the very 
origin of the settlement, and has now in its fold a considerable propor- 
tion of the present population. There are churches for the French, 
Irish, Germans, Poles, and English, with various nunneries, sister- 
hoods, and asylums. They have an immense property in the city. 
They are making great efforts to retain all their members, including 
immigrants and native-born. Occasionally, they make a convert from 
among the Protestants ; but these do not begin to equal the number 
they lose by conversion to Protestantism. 

Of Protestant Churches, the first in order was the Methodist 
Episcopal Church, established in the autumn of 18 10, and at the 
present time — 1877 — having eight churches, with regular pastors, 
and two separate Sunday School chapels ; with all the necessary 



I 68 HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

appliances for Church work, and with valuable property. The next 
in order, nearly contemporaneous in organization, are the Protestant 
Episcopal and Presbyterian Churches. The former was organized 
November 2 2d, in 1824, and the latter was instituted as a Church, 
January 23d, 1825, though they had had preaching, most of the time, 
since June, 181 6. The latter now have six churches and some mis- 
sion Sabbath Schools. The former — the Protestant Episcopal Church 
— was fully organized in 1824, and now has five churches, with sev- 
eral mission chapels. The Baptists range next in order, having been 
fully organized in 1827, and now having two principal churches, one 
mission among the French, one among the Germans, and some other 
mission work. There are two Congregational Churches, doing 
good work. The first was organized in 1844. There are some 
Churches among the colored people, bearing the name of Methodists, 
Baptists, and Episcopalians. There are several other Protestant 
denominations, as Lutherans, having several churches ; United Pres- 
byterians, having one church ; Scotch Presbyterians, having one 
church, who have recently changed their name to that of Central 
Presbyterian Church, and some others. There is, also, a Unitarian 
Church and a Swedenborgian Church. 

Among the religious societies doing Christian work may be men- 
tioned the Young Men's Christian Association, which has become a 
permanent fixture in the city, having a good property well fitted up 
for religious and benevolent work. Their rooms have become a 
great center of attraction. They seem to be doing a noble work. 

It may be observed that there was no earnest effort made for 
the establishment of Protestantism in this city earlier than 1809. All 
visits of Protestant ministers, prior to that time, were only incidental, 
and not from any fixed purpose to establish the cause in the city. 
But, in 1809, Detroit was placed on the list of appointments of the 
New York Annual Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church, 
and a minister was appointed to it ; and it has remained in the list 
of appointments, and ministers assigned to it ever since, except for 
the years 181 3 and 181 4, during the prevalence of the war, when 
ministers could not get here. 

The history of education in connection with the City of Detroit 
is full of interest, and must not be passed by in silence. In the 
organization of the Territorial Government of Michigan, Congress 
set apart, or appropriated some valuable lands for the establishment 
and maintenance of a university or seminary of learning. The 
organization of this university was provided for by a law passed by 
the Governor and Judges, who constituted the law-making body at 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. I 69 

that time. Numerous professorships were provided for under the 
title of Didaxia, and the institution was opened in 1817. Rev. John 
Monteith, who was sent out here as a missionary, the year before, 
under commission from "The Board of Missions of the General 
Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of the United States," was 
appointed the president, and professor in several Didaxia, and 
Gabriel Richard, a Roman Catholic priest, was associated with him 
in charge of the remaining Didaxia, 

As might have been expected from the circumstances of the 
times, the institution proved a failure, and the university, in its 
relation to Detroit, died out in a short time, for, when the State 
Government was organized, in 1837, the original location and organ- 
ization of the university were entirely ignored, a new law for its 
organization was passed, and its location was changed to Ann Arbor. 
Yet Detroit was not without schools in which the classics were taught 
44 The old Academy" still lives in the recollections of some of the 
inhabitants of Detroit to the present day, although its obsequies 
were attended years ago, and its material remains have long since 
disappeared. 

Detroit was left, for a number of years, to the ordinary, or com- 
mon school system, supplemented by various private enterprises, 
which did good service, until the present school system of the city 
was adopted. The present very efficient system embraces a central 
high school, with ward branches as the exigencies may demand, sup- 
ported by tax to supplement the moneys from the public school fund 
from the State ; so that the schools are all free to residents of the 
city. They are graded to meet all degrees of intellectual culture, 
leaving everyone without excuse. The whole is under the manage- 
ment of one superintendent, under the control of a school board 
elected by the public in each ward of the city. The Central High 
School is intended to advance students in the classics and sciences, 
so that they may enter the State University, if they choose, on gradu- 
ation. 

It is not to be supposed that this system of education for the 
city has attained to its present gigantic proportions without oppo- 
sition. It has had to struggle, and, indeed, it is not yet entirely free 
from struggling. This opposition has arisen from two causes — 
penuriousness and religious fanaticism. The penurious were unwil- 
ling to pay the necessary taxes for buildings with suitable furniture 
and apparatus, and pay qualified teachers. The religious fanaticism 
is confined, almost entirely, to the Romish Church, they characterizing 
them as " Godless schools," because the priests cannot be permitted 



I JO HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

to teach their peculiar religious dogmas in them. If the priests were 
permitted to visit the schools, and catechise the children, and take a 
part of each day to indoctrinate them in their dogmas, all would be 
well. Their great object is to break down our school system and 
secure a distribution of the school fund, so that they may be assisted 
to maintain their sectarian schools. They oppose the use of the 
Bible — not that they care so much about the Bible, but to secure the 
co-operation of all classes of skeptics to break down the system. 
Notwithstanding these oppositions to the system, it has grown strong, 
and is destined to go on and prosper in its legitimate work of intel- 
lectual culture. Notwithstanding the opposition of the Romanists 
to the system, they manage to secure a large proportion of the 
teachers to be of their " faith and order." 

We shall occupy only a small space in the presentation of 
sketches of a few men connected with the early history of this city — 
of those who gave shaping to its interests and its society. All we 
can do is little more than to record their names. 

Hon. A. B. Woodward, one of the first Judges appointed by the 
President, was said to be a man of ability and integrity. He had a 
peculiarly constituted mind, which was shown in several things. He 
was charged with the work of laying out and platting the new city, 
after the disastrous fire in 1805, and did that work in a very peculiar 
manner. What that plan was, every one who knows anything of the 
city knows. It may look fine for a spider's web, but is very incon- 
venient for a city. The next particular in which that peculiarity 
was shown was in the law providing for the organization of the 
University of Michigan. He was responsible for the peculiar form 
of that law. The professorships were called Didaxia, and many 
other peculiarities entered into it. That law was so peculiar that no 
notice was taken of it when the State Legislature provided for the re- 
organization of the University. We are indebted to a correspondent 
in Harpers Magazine for the following statement: '■ He was a 
bachelor — never married. It was often the case that he would buy 
a dozen shirts at a time, and, as one of them would become soiled, 
he would put on another one over it, and so keep doing until he 
would have the whole dozen on at once." This seems hardly credi- 
ble, but it is given in that Magazine as a veritable fact. When he 
gave his approval to the articles of association for the incorporation 
of the Methodist Society of Detroit, he stated that his preference was 
that there should be but one denomination, according to some plan 
which had been adopted in Prussia ; but, as there was nothing con- 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 171 

trary to the statute in their articles, he signed his approval. He is 
said to have been a very good man. 

General Lewis Cass succeeded General Hull in the Governor- 
ship of the Territory of Michigan, and in that office did much for 
Detroit and for Michigan in general. He was in General Hull's 
army, but on the day of the surrender was absent on detached duty, 
and was very angry when informed of the surrender. He never 
made an open profession of religion, but always gave his support 
to the cause. He was one of the signers of the constitution, or 
articles of association for the incorporation of " The First Protestant 
Society of Detroit," in December, 1821. His wife became a mem- 
ber of the first Presbyterian Church of Detroit when that Church 
was instituted in 1825, and her name appears among the first mem- 
bers of it. The Governor gave his support to that Church, mainly. 
He served as Secretary of War of the United States one term, as 
Senator of the United States, and as a Minister to a foreign court. 
In all these positions he did honor to the city, State and nation. He 
was a very temperate man in his habits, never having used any 
ardent spirits in all his life, though he sometimes made a very mod- 
erate use of wine. He was in the United States Senate at the 
time of the repeal of the Missouri Compromise line, so as to allow 
slavery to be extended into any of the territory of the United States. 
He consented to it reluctantly, but he could not avoid it without 
breaking away from the Democratic party, which he was not pre- 
pared to do. He knew it would, finally, be fatal to his party; but 
the slaveocracy demanded it, and it must be done. The result is 
what we have seen — the final abolition of slavery and the displace- 
ment of his party from power. From correspondence we had with 
him while the matter was pending in Congress, we know his con- 
victions were right; but he could not make up his mind to act 
according to them. It is always a sad thing to see a man of such 
abilities hesitating to stand up for the oppressed, and stifling his own 
convictions of the right. He was a great and noble man, and ought 
to have consecrated himself to the Divine service, which he felt and 
acknowledged to be his duty. He is deceased. 

Eurostas P, Hastings came to Detroit from the State of New 
York in 1824 or 1825, and for the most part, if not the entire of his 
life was connected with one of the banks of the city, and stood high 
as an accommodating, honest business man. He was a very devo- 
ted, earnest Christian man, a member of the Presbyterian Church 
before he came here. He was one of the forty-nine persons who 
composed the first Presbyterian Church of Detroit, when that Church 



172 HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

was instituted on the 23d day of January, 1825. He was elected 
and ordained one of the ruling elders at that time. He labored 
very actively in the cause of religion, and has gone to receive his 
reward. 

Hon. B. F. H. Witherell was the son of Judge James With- 
erell, who was appointed one of the Territorial Judges, by Presi- 
dent Jefferson, in 18 10. The Judge brought his family here in 1810, 
but they did not remain because his wife was afraid of so many 
Indians. They returned to the East and remained till after the war. 
In the meantime B. F. H. had studied law, and had returned here to 
reside. He had also made a profession of religion and was a mem- 
ber of the Methodist Church here as early as 1820. Mr. Witherell 
grew to occupy a very important place in the affairs of the city and 
State. He was called to occupy the bench of the Circuit Court for 
this Judicial Circuit, which position he well filled. He was a Demo- 
crat in politics, and was honored by his party. He died in 1867. 
The younger Judge was a man of good education, an excellent 
jurist, and a worthy son of a worthy sire. 

Hon. William Woodbridge was long identified with the inter- 
ests of the city and of the State. He was a very early settler, of 
New England origin. He was a lawyer by profession, and a Whig 
in politics, and in this respect was the constant antagonist of Gen- 
eral Cass. He was once elected and served as Governor of the 
State ; and filled other and important offices. He met and fulfilled 
the responsibilities of his official positions to the entire satisfaction 
of those who agreed with him in politics. He was a supporter of 
the Christian religion, and an adherent of the Presbyterian Church ; 
but, like too many men in public life, neglected the vital experience 
of that religion in which he believed and which he supported. It 
does seem strange that such men do not more thoroughly realize 
their responsibility to God and humanity, to submit their hearts 
and lives to the Divine service. Certainly, their official and public 
positions do not lessen, but they do increase their responsibility. 
Position is a source of power, and that power is to be exerted for 
the purity and elevation of humanity. Christianity, in its experience 
and practice, is the purifying and elevating agency. They, then, are 
obligated to do what they can to promote it to the greatest possible 
extent. Mr. Woodbridge had accumulated quite a fortune — very 
largely from the increase in the value of his lands by the growth of 
the city. He owned a large farm just adjoining the city, which has 
now all become included in it, and furnished many desirable building 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. I JT, 

places. His name is perpetuated in the name of one of the streets 
of the city. 

Hon. James Witherell. The following sketch of the life of the 
elder Judge Witherell, written by the late Bishop Edward Thomson, 
D. D., will be read with interest, and is worthy of a place in our 
History: "One of the earliest contributions to the Detroit Methodist 
Church was the family of Judge Witherell, and one of my first pas- 
toral visits was made at his house. Of Puritan stock, a native of 
Mansfield, Massachusetts, he commenced life, in 1775, by entering 
the army at the age of sixteen ; and, having obtained a commission 
in the Massachusetts line, he continued in the service till the army 
was disbanded. He subsequently studied and practiced successfully 
the professions of medicine and law; and, in 1808, while filling a seat 
in Congress as a Representative from Vermont, he was appointed 
by Mr. Jefferson a United wStates Judge in Michigan. Being in 
the Territory during the War of 181 2, he entered the field again as 
colonel of a regiment. On the capitulation of Hull, he disbanded 
his soldiers, but was himself made a prisoner of war. He was, how- 
ever, exchanged, and permitted to resume his seat on the Bench. 
* * * He had a kind heart and a strong mind, a fine vein of 
humor and a vast store of anecdotes. 

"Although not a member of the Church, he was a believer in its 
creed, an admirer of its discipline, and a reader of its literature, par- 
ticularly of the writings of Adam Clarke. He read the Scriptures 
daily, and devoted some time to silent, but, we trust, fervent devo- 
tion. He often dwelt with delight upon the fifty-fifth chapter of 
Isaiah. With him, as with most men, the appetite for Divine truth 
increased as he drew near the grave. On one occasion, while his 
companion was reading to him an interesting item of intelligence, 
she complained that her eyes were failing. ' Save them, then, to 
read the Bible,' said he. He renounced all other refuge but the 
Cross. What a pity that men who take evangelical views do not 
profess them publicly, and before they come to die, and especially 
when their position in society gives them commanding influence ! A 
clause in a will, a dying or public confession made at the last, cannot 
atone for a life spent out of the Church. At Judge Witherell's 
death — January 9th, 1838 — the Michigan Legislature, as well as the 
Bar of the Supreme Court, passed resolutions of respect to his 
memory, and attended his funeral. 

" It was my duty to preach on the occasion, and it will afford an 
insight into the Judge's character to remark that, when I called on his 
family for materials for a sketch of his life and character, the only docu- 



I 74 HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

ment that they could find was the following, which was his whole auto- 
biography: 'At the age of sixteen, I joined the Revolutionary army, 
and stood sentry at Boston Neck. On the evacuation of Boston by 
the British army, I marched to New York. I was wounded severely 
at White Plains ; marched to Rhode Island ; thence to Saratoga ; 
thence to Valley Forge, in Pennsylvania, where I kept a four days' 
fast ; thence to Monmouth, and subsequently to Fishkill, Newburg, 
and West Point, where, on the 19th of April, 1873, the Revolutionary 
army was disbanded."' This ends the Bishop's account of the Judge; 
but we wish to add our concurrence in his sentiments in regard to 
the neglect of such men to identify themselves openly with the cause 
of Christ. It is a mystery to us how such men can hope to find 
acceptance at the last, or how they can reconcile it with their obliga- 
tions to poor, fallen, suffering humanity, all around them, calling for 
the help of their example to enable them to rise. 




HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. I 75 




CHAPTER IX. 

Preliminary — Michigan Conference — Protestant Episcopal Diocese — Indian Missions — Detroit — 
J. B. Finley — J. A. Baughman — Curtis Goddard — James Gilruth — Biehop Thomson — Arza 
Brown — Progress of the Churches — Congress Street Church — Dr. Duffield-Phelps — Noah M. 
Wells— W. H. Collins. 

>E now enter upon the fourth period of our History — the 
organization of the Michigan Conference — and the last 
that we shall designate as such. In this we shall have to 
►<■* take a little more extended and free range. The period 
l^/I^o 'properly begins with 1836; but we have to retrospect 
some, and we shall, also, anticipate some things, so as not 
to break the connection. There can be no reasonable objection to 
either of these. 

It, perhaps, will be remembered that by act of the General 
Conference, in May, 1836, the Michigan Conference was created — 
but it also embraced the northern part of Ohio. In 1840, the Ohio 
part was taken off, and Michigan alone constituted a Conference. 
In 1856, the Michigan Conference was divided, and the Detroit 
Conference was created, so that, at this present writing, we have two 
Annual Conferences in this State, besides the Michigan District of 
the Central German Conference. 

It may be considered a singular fact that the creation of the 
Michigan Annual Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church 
was contemporaneous with the organization of the State Govern- 
ment — for it was in 1836 that the State Constitution was framed, 
and ratified by the people, and Michigan was released from its 
pupilage, and admitted as one of the States of the Union. The 
ratification by Congress was not completed till 1837, on account 
of a little difficulty about the boundary with Ohio. So, while we 
have shown a great increase of Protestantism, there has, also, been 
a great increase of the population as well. 



176 HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

There are three circumstances, or facts, that have contributed 
to the growth of the country, worthy of notice : These are the 
use of steamboats on the lakes ; the opening of the New York and 
Erie Canal ; and a better knowledge of the topography of the coun- 
try furnished by surveyors and other explorers. 

The opening of the great New York and Erie Canal, perhaps,, 
had a more direct influence on the settlement of this part of the 
West than even the steamboating, as it furnished a better and easier 
mode of travel to the lake, and furnished the prospect of the easy 
transportation of merchandise westward. The idea that the West 
was to be the granary of the East had not yet been conceived — but 
what would the steamboats and canal have amounted to if there had 
not been a country to sustain a large population ? The experiments 
of the adventurers, in regard to the salubrity of the climate and the 
fertility of the soil — a soil that had been thought to be barren — 
showed that large yields, in proportion to expenditure, rewarded the 
husbandman, and the climate agreeable. These plains and prairies 
were found to be very fertile ; and even the marshes, or wet meadows,, 
were very important to furnish hay for stock. We do not well to sep- 
arate these facts, and attempt to attach importance to either of them 
separately. Consider them jointly, and then we may be able to com- 
prehend the rapid increase of the population of this Peninsular State. 
This rapid increase of population threw a vast responsibility on the 
Church and ministry, to see that they were supplied with religious 
instruction — the means of grace. How this responsibility has been 
met, we shall endeavor to develop in the following pages. 

The Protestant Episcopal Diocese of Michigan was organized 
this same year — 1836— and Rev. Samuel A. McCoskrey was elected, 
and ordained Bishop, and, at the same time, was to serve as Rector 
of St. Paul's Church, in the City of Detroit. St. Paul's at that time,, 
and until 1852, was located on Woodward Avenue, between Larned 
and Congress Streets , but, at this time, they erected a large stone 
church at the corner of Congress and Shelby Streets. The Bishop 
was a graduate of West Point ; large, straight, and very command- 
ing in presence, and has labored much to advance the interests of 
his Church. The origin and progress of that Church, in different, 
localities, will be noticed in their appropriate places. 

We begin this period with two Districts and part of another ; 
for it is to be remembered that the southwest part of the State was 
connected with the Indiana Conference, and remained so till 1840. 
We have thirty-five intinerant ministers and five thousand members. 
The State had a population of about one hundred thousand, and 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. I 77 

rapidly increasing, so that, in 1840, there was a population of two 
hundred and twelve thousand. The Circuits were generally large, 
though, in a few instances, there had been formed what were called half 
stations — that is, the Circuits were so constructed that one minister 
could be in the principal village every Sabbath. It is much to be 
regretted, however, that we were not more attentive to the centers 
of influence. In most of the villages, we were there to supply them 
for a long time before any others made any attempt ; but, by our 
not supplying them with as much service as we ought to have done, 
others entered, and many who were friendly to Methodism, and would 
have given their influence to it permanently, were drawn away, be- 
cause they wanted more ministerial service than- we afforded, and so 
they were lost to us. In some of these places we have since nearly 
recovered what we had lost, but in most of them it is not so, and 
we have to occupy a position below that which we might have had, 
and ought to have had. 

The Michigan Conference having been created, held its first 
session in Mansfield, Ohio, in September, 1836, and was presided over 
by the venerable and majestic Bishop Soule. He was then in the vigor 
of his noble manhood, and preached with wonderful eloquence and 
power. The next session was held in Detroit in September, 1837. 
The good, sweet-spirited, noble-minded Bishop Roberts presided over 
this session. The sessions were held in the session room of the Presby- 
terian Church, on Woodward Avenue, between Larned and Congress 
Streets. The Conference was well entertained, for all denominations 
opened their houses for the purpose, and Methodism received much 
advantage from it. Other denominations were forced, however re- 
luctantly, to cultivate a higher respect for them. Some of them had 
looked on Rev. Edward Thomson, a man of culture and superior 
intellect, who had been stationed here the year before, and was still 
in the station — since Bishop Thomson — with great pity, because of 
his connection with that ignorant, ranting people, as they regarded 
the Methodists to be ; but now they found that he was not alone in 
his culture and greatness ; and they were very favorably impressed 
with the ability and dignity of the body. Though the Conference 
was composed very largely of young men, they were young men of 
ability and great promise. The sessions of the Conferences alter- 
nated between Ohio and Michigan, the fourth session, in September, 
1 839, being held in Ann Arbor — Bishop Soule presiding — until 1840, 
when, by act of the General Conference, Michigan, alone, was made 
to constitute a Conference. According to the Minutes of 1840, there 
were four Districts — viz., Detroit, Ann Arbor, Marshall, and Kala- 



I 78 HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

mazoo — and a Mission District in the Lake Superior country, con- 
taining seventy-seven ministers and preachers and 11,523 members, as 
reported to the Conference, which met in Marshall on August 19th, 
Bishop Hedding presiding. 

In the Minutes of 1840, we have a Mission District, with William 
H. Brockway as superintendent, containing three charges in the Lake 
Superior region — viz., Sault Ste. Marie, Kewawenon, and Mackinaw 
— supplied with six ministers and preachers. Two of these preachers 
were Indians, as will be judged by their names — viz., Peter Marks- 
man and John Kahbage. The Sault Ste. Marie and Kewawenon 
Mission appears in our Minutes in 1837 as one charge, and it is 
attached to the Detroit District, and, the next year, the same Mission 
was attached to the Ann Arbor District, and W. H. Brockway was 
the missionary; but, in 1839, the Mission District was created, and 
W. H. Brockway was made the superintendent, and was the preacher 
in charge of Sault Ste. Marie Mission, with George King as his as- 
sistant. Kewawenon was made a separate Mission, and left to be 
supplied, with the expectation of engaging an Indian preacher. At 
the next Conference they reported seventy-seven members and seven- 
ty-six of these were Indians, which was an increase of only one 
Indian over last year. The first report of members among the In- 
dians of this region was made in 1838, which was forty-two members. 
Though in 1837 was the first appearance of this Indian mission work 
on our Minutes of appointments, the work had been going on for 
some time. Some two or three years before this time, John Sunday, 
an Indian preacher from Canada, had visited the Indians of this region, 
and preached so effectively that a revival originated among them, 
and they desired a missionary to be sent to them, which was done, 
with the results named above. Two ministers, or preachers, were 
raised up among themselves, to preach the Gospel without the tedi- 
ous process of an interpreter. This seemed to be a call of Provi- 
dence on the Church for contributions of men and means to carry 
forward the work among the aborigines. God so prospered the 
work among them that, in three years, seventy-six native members 
were reported among them. This was, certainly, a very encouraging 
result for the amount of labor and money expended ; especially so 
when we consider the depths of ignorance and vicious degradation 
to which they had become subjected. These Missions have been 
continued ever since. While on this subject of Indian Missions, we 
would say that the Presbyterian Church had established a Mission 
among them, at Mackinaw, as early as 1 821, and, perhaps, a little 
earlier, and conducted it with zeal. The Baptists, also, had one in die 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. I 79 

west part of the Territory in 1830, and, perhaps, earlier, which was 
carried forward with a good degree of success. Notwithstanding the 
great expenditure of means, men and labor by the different denomi- 
nations of Christians, while a few, or, even a good many of them r 
have become true Christian converts, and have been saved by grace, 
the mass of them are Indians still — have not been much civilized 
or elevated. This fact gives coloring to a remark, made by Hugh 
Miller, that, when a tribe or nation has reached a certain point of 
degradation, it is impossible to restore it. Millions of money have 
been expended for the Christianization and civilization of the abo- 
rigines of the American continent, with very little to show for it 
Something has been done in the former object, but they have to 
be wards of the Church still, and very little progress has been made 
in the latter. Sad as it may seem, the indications are that they are 
to become extinct. In the meantime, it is well for the Christian 
Church to do all that can be done to save as many of them as 
possible from the pains of " the second death." 

The Christian work in the Lake Superior District is now de- 
voted, mainly, to the white population, which has become numerous, 
as the mining interests have become developed. Although the 
Methodists were the first to carry the Gospel into this region, they 
are not alone in this noble work, as will be seen from the religious 
statistics as here presented : Methodists, 1.356; Protestant Episco- 
pal, 137, and two parishes not reported; Congregational, 200. 

According to our plan, Detroit must now occupy our attention 
for a little while longer. For an account of the origin and growth 
of the city, and some of the men connected with it, we refer to the 
preceding chapter. It is in its religious, Protestant aspect we must 
consider it. Except the record of the original Society, as given in 
our first and second periods, the first record we have been able to 
find, is an old class-book, prepared by Rev. Alfred Brunson, for an 
evening class, bearing date July 5th, 1823. This old book contained, 
at the time, twenty-five names, leaving us to infer that there must 
have been, at least, fifty or sixty members in the city, as the noon 
class was always larger than an evening one. Levi Brown, who was 
a Protestant Episcopalian in his predilections and withdrew some 
time later than the 4th of July, 1824, as he was present, on that 
day, at class, was the leader. He withdrew to assist in the organi- 
zation of a Church of his own choice, which took place on November 
2 2d, 1824. Although Mr. Brown stood as the class-leader, Jerry 
Dean, who was a member of the same class, was the leader in fact. 
The same book, at a later date, probably for 1825, contains a list 



l8o HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

of names of members, for the purpose of collecting for ministerial 
support. This list contains sixty names, which is, probably, the 
number then in Church fellowship. It is much to be regretted that 
our Church records were so loosely kept. There was no permanent 
book in which all the names were recorded, but those composing 
each class were entered in a small book, called a class-book. These 
class-books, when they were filled, were thrown aside as matters of 
no consequence, and new ones were prepared, in which only the 
names of those who were members at the time were entered. They 
did not, then, think they were making history, or else the ministers 
and class-leaders would have carefully preserved these books. In 
that same old book, under date of November 2d, is this entry : 
"John Owen joined." We have, already, spoken fully in regard to 
Mr. Owen. In the days of this book, the members, generally, at- 
tended class-meeting very constantly ; as, for instance, in twenty-four 
successive weeks, in which class-meetings were held, William Brooks 
is marked absent only twice. Indeed, the members then believed 
what was true, that they could not prosper well in spiritual things 
without this social means of grace. 

We must, now, call attention to a sketch of the life and charac- 
ter of some of the men not before noticed, as connected with the 
work in this city. In these sketches, we cannot confine ourselves to 
events which have occurred, simply, within this period. We must 
both retrospect and anticipate, because we must complete what we 
have to say of them at this time. 

Rev. James B. Finley had but a short connection with the work 
in Detroit, but it was so important that it is eminently proper that 
he should find a place in this record. He was a man of mark in the 
Church ; full of labors and good fruits. His life was very thoroughly 
devoted to the work of the Christian ministry, in which he was very 
successful. His father was a Presbyterian minister for many years, 
but, finally, joined the Methodists. 

James B. Finley was born in North Carolina, in the month of 
July, 1 78 1. His father had removed from Pennsylvania to the South 
to labor as a Christian minister, so that he was not a Southerner by 
blood, but by the accident of birth. About two or three years after 
the birth of our subject, his father, Robert Finley, removed to Ken- 
tucky, and was an active worker in the great revivals which pre- 
vailed in that country at an early day. School advantages were very 
limited, but the elder Finley had had a collegiate education, being a 
graduate of Princeton College, New Jersey. He, therefore, supplied, 
as well as he could, the lack of schools by superintending the educa- 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 1 8 I 

tion of his sons; so our subject acquired a considerable knowledge 
of the classics, and, at the same time, had the free-and-easy manners 
of the backwoods. He was not tied up with the etiquette of the 
present time. In spirit he was bold, fearless, intrepid, and prepared 
for any emergency. 

Mr. Finley was admitted into the Conference, then called the 
Western Conference, in 1809, tne vei 7 year that William Case was 
sent to Detroit. At the time he was appointed to the Lebanon 
District, in 18 19, he had been in the ministry ten years, and was in 
the prime of his manhood. His District extended from the Ohio 
River, on the south, to Detroit. On such an extensive District, he must 
have encountered very great difficulties in making his visits to the 
different charges. Michigan was almost entirely cut off from commu- 
nication with Ohio. The Black Swamp, as the flat country from the 
Sandusky River to the Maumee, or Miami of the Lakes, was called, 
was without any roads, and the only way of getting through was to 
follow Indian trails. The following is his account of his first visit to 
Detroit Circuit. The meeting was held on the Maumee River, and 
he started from Upper Sandusky. Hear his own words: "It was 
late in the fall when I left the white settlements to attend my first 
Quarterly Meeting at the Maumee Rapids. There was not a single 
habitation of a white man from the old Indian boundary, on the Scioto, 
till we reached the Rapids. In this route there were three Indian 
settlements — Upper Sandusky, Big Spring, and Sawawatown, on a 
branch of the Carrion River. Through this wilderness I urged my 
way. I had a dismal journey through the Black Swamp. Two 
nights I lay out in the woods, during which time I did not see the 
face of a human being. By the help of God, I at length reached my 
appointment." * * * * « j wa s hailed, by preacher and people, 
with gladness, as one that bringeth glad tidings to the ends of the 
earth. I had the honor of being the first Presiding Elder that set 
his foot on the Miami of the Lakes, and had the privilege of holding 
the first Quarterly Meeting, love-feast, or sacramental meeting ever 
held in this, now, densely populated country." Thus he actively 
and courageously pressed through the very trying circumstances in 
which he was placed, and showed that he was a man of courage and 
pious zeal. 

We here transcribe from his auto-biography a full account of 
his visit to Detroit and his labors in connection with it, in the spring 
of 1821, and his return to Ohio. He says: " In the spring I started 
for the purpose of more thoroughly visiting my Detroit charge. The 
trip was a very adventurous one. When I arrived at Lower San- 



1 82 HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

dusky, the summer freshet was at its highest. I traveled alone to 
Muscalunge Creek, and the water covered the entire valley, from 
hill to hill. Unable to proceed any further, I went back to the town 
at Lower Sandusky, and hired a Frenchman to pilot me through to 
the rapids of the Maumee. When he came to the creek, he said it 
was impossible for us to get through ; so we returned, and I directed 
my course up the river to Fort Ball. Leaving my horse with a friend, 
I hired two young Indians to take me to the mouth of the river in a 
bark canoe, so that I might, at this point, get on board the steamer 
Walk-in-the-water on Friday morning. 

" Setting sail in our frail canoe, we darted down the rapid river, 
and, when we came to the Sandusky Falls, we sped over them like a 
bird. Night overtaking us before we reached the mouth of the river, 
we concluded to tarry all night with an old Frenchman by the name 
of Poscile, who occupied a miserable shanty on the bank, and lived 
principally on muskrats. The place was dreadfully infested with 
fleas and mosquitos. My comrades joined in partaking of our 
host's hospitalities ; but I was not sufficiently hunger-bitten to eat 
muskrats. To protect myself from the foes which swarmed around 
me I sat all night on a box. When daylight came we pushed off our 
canoe and paddled on. As we reached the bay we found the wind 
blowing fresh from land and the waves rolling too high for our little 
bark. The bay was five miles wide, and, notwithstandisg the bois- 
terous weather, the Indians were for going directly across. To this 
I objected ; and we finally agreed to take the east side and coast 
around. Several times our canoe filled with water, and we had to 
run ashore, pull it out, and turn it over — then relaunching, put to sea 
again. A more serious disaster befell us when we got within two 
hundred yards of the shore at Goat Island. A sudden squall upset 
our bark, plunging us all in the deep. Being unable to right up our 
vessel without something more substantial than water on which to 
rest our leverage, we swam with our boat to the shore. Here we 
took our canoe on our shoulders, and carrying it about a mile, we 
launched again and re-embarked. We paddled on, battling with the 
waves, and finally arrived within four miles of Portland. Taking my 
saddle-bags on my shoulder, I walked to town, almost exhausted for 
want of something to eat. Here I stopped at a tavern, and, order- 
ing a room with a fire, I emptied my saddle-bags, and, spreading their 
contents, with my clothes, before it, went to bed and slept till the sun 
arose next morning. Getting up, I found my things tolerably well 
dried, except my books, and, after taking my breakfast, I got on 
board the boat, and arrived at Detroit on Saturday morning, where 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 1 83 

I put up with my old friend Mr. Jeremiah Dean. At this place I 
received a letter from brother Kent, informing me of his sickness at 
the Rapids, and his inability to be with me. In that letter he in- 
formed me that he had given out appointments for me every day 
during the week, except Saturday and Monday. Thus you see, dear 
reader, I had work enough. The weather was excessively hot ; but, 
notwithstanding, we commenced our meetings. Having no church, 
we worshipped in the Council House, and the Lord was with us of a 
truth. Governor Cass, my old friend, treated me with great respect 
and hospitality, and also his estimable lady. Indeed, God seemed to 
give me favor in the eyes of all the people. The soldiers who were 
stationed here treated me with much respect, and many of them 
were awakened under the preaching. Of all places in the world, a 
military station is the most unfavorable to religion ; and hence there 
was but little fruit manifested. Several came forward for prayers 
and were converted to God. Had not appointments been given 
out for me, the meeting could have been kept up all the week to 
good advantage. Brother Abbott furnished me a horse, and I start- 
ed on Tuesday to fill the appointments that had been made. That 
day I preached twice, and swam the River Rouge three times. I 
then went to two or three places out north and preached as far as 
Pontiac. Returning to Detroit, I spent another Sabbath of great in- 
terest and profit to myself and many others. My soul was much 
united to the dear people ; for they seemed to be as sheep without a 
shepherd. On Monday I left for Upper Sandusky. When I arrived 
at Portland there was no conveyance for me to Lower Sandusky. 
After considerable search I found an Indian, whose horse I hired. 
The plan was for me to ride and the Indian to walk or run, as the 
case might be. Accordingly we started. The Indian would run on 
ahead in a long trot, and then, stopping, he would say, ' Good horse ; 
how much you give for him?' I would tell him I did not want to buy. 
He would then run on again a mile or two, and, stopping, would ask 
the same question. This he continued till, becoming tired of his ques- 
tions, I told him I had no money. 'You lie!' said he, pointing to my 
saddle-bags. Then said he, 'How much you give?' I said 'May be 
ten dollars.' Becoming incensed at this, he exclained, 'You rascal! 
you Kaintuck! you rascal! You cheat Indian!' Shortly after this we 
came within hearing of several camps of Indians. As we advanced 
we found them in a drunken spree, singing, dancing and hallooing 
as if all bedlam had broke loose. He asked me to turn in here and 
get some 'lum.' 'No,' said I, 'you come on.' 'No; me go, and quick 
come.' As soon as he was gone I cut a stout hickory stick and put 



I 84 HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

the Indian pony to his best. Soon I heard the Indian yelling behind 
me ; but he was not able to overtake me till I reached Lower San- 
dusky. When he came up he commenced abusing me and charging 
me with a disposition to run off with his horse. I told him he must 
stop his abuse, as I would have no more of it. 'Did I not give one 
dollar for the use of your horse?' 'Yes/ 'Well,' said I, 'here is a 
half-dollar besides, to get your dinner with.' At this he turned his 
tune, and said, 'You good man ; you no Kaintuck ; you my friend.'" 

After some unimportant matter he says : " This was one of the 
best years of my itinerant life. A petition was sent this year to the 
bishops for me to be stationed at Detroit. This petition was signed 
by Governor Cass, the Messrs. Hunt, and principal citizens, In the 
petition they pledged themselves to pay all expenses, and support 
me, besides building a church. It was confidently believed by them, 
that their prayer would be heard ; but Bishop McKendree thought 
the Indian mission of more consequence than Detroit, or any other 
place that might want me. Bishop Roberts was in favor of sending 
me to Detroit, and the matter continued in suspense till late in the 
Conference. My own judgment and feelings led me to Detroit, be- 
cause I believed that at that time all the English inhabitants of the 
place would have joined the Church. But the senior bishop pre- 
vailed, and I was sent among the Indians." This shows that his visit 
to Detroit and the adjacent country was very highly appreciated, 
especially so by the city. As stated above, he was sent to the Indian 
mission at Upper Sandusky, instead of being sent to Detroit. This 
was certainly a great mistake, so far as the interests of religion, and 
of Methodism in this city were concerned. It is true that all he an- 
ticipated might not have been realized, but no doubt he would have 
been a great blessing to the city. 

Mr. Finley was appointed to the Lebanon District again in 
1822, which still included Detroit. The Sandusky District was 
created in 1824, and made to include Detroit, and Mr. Finley was 
appointed to it. He and Mr. Strange had alternated in charge of 
Lebanon District, and in charge of Detroit. We have no account 
of Mr. Stange having ever visited Detroit more than once. Mr. 
Finley was, then, the appointed Presiding Elder over Detroit for 
1820, 1822, 1824, three years, but not consecutively ; but we have 
no account of his having visited Detroit, except for the first year. 
It is to be remembered that the appointment was made in August 
or September of the year named. 

It is not necessary for us to follow Mr. Finley through his long, 
eventful, laborious, and very useful ministerial life. He was honored 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. I 85 

by his Conference by being elected a delegate to the General Con- 
ference for many terms. He was a grand good man, impelled by 
the love of Christ to very arduous labors for the salvation of men. 
He died full of days, in Christian triumph, and was greatly lamen- 
ted by multitudes in the Church who had been greatly benefited by 
his ministerial labors. He stood deservedly high in the councils of 
the Church, as of sound judgment and loyalty to the interests of 
the Church. The memorial of his name is " like ointment poured 
forth." 

The first relation of Rev. John A. Baughman to Detroit and to 
Michigan Methodism, and Protestantism, was when he was appoint- 
ed to Detroit Circuit in 1825. This, however, only brought him into 
connection with the city in name, for if he preached in Detroit at all 
it was only incidentally. His Circuit embraced all the accessible set- 
tlements in Michigan, outside of the city. It was a very laborious 
Circuit, for he went up as far as Mount Clemens and Pontiac, and as 
far out as Ypsilanti and Ann Arbor, and south to Monroe, and west 
of that as far as to Blissfield and Tecumseh ; there was no Adrian 
then. This general outline will give some idea of the labor and 
travel required of him in his Circuit. The Circuit was called Detroit 
simply because there was no other place which had assumed sufficient 
importance to be recognized as forming the head of a Circuit. 

Mr. Baughman's real connection with Detroit commenced when 
he was stationed here in 1845. He remained in the station for two 
years. He then became Agent of the American Bible Society for 
four years, and in 1852 was appointed Presiding Elder of Detroit 
District, which position he filled for two years. He never removed 
his residence from Detroit, after he was stationed here in 1845. 

Mr. Baughman died in Detroit, March 1st., 1868, aged 65 years 
and seven months. He was born in Hereford County, Md., but re- 
moved to Ohio in his boyhood. He was converted at the age of 
nineteen years and joined the Methodist Episcopal Church. He 
was admitted, on trial, by the Ohio Conference in 1823, and from 
that time to the year of his death was an active, energetic, and suc- 
cessful preacher of the Gospel. The only partial interruption being 
that he sustained a supernumerary relation in 1839. The following 
is the historical and appreciative memoir found in the Minutes for 
1868: 

Mr. Baughman " labored twelve years in Ohio, and thirty-two 
years in Michigan. He was emphatically a pioneer preacher in both 
States, being in many places the first man to preach the Gospel to 
the people. His first two years in the ministry — 1823 and 1824 — 



1 86 HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

were spent successively at Piqua and Oxford, Ohio. He then visited 
the far-off wilderness of Michigan, and traveled the Detroit Circuit 
in 1825-6, and, the next year, Monroe Circuit. These two Circuits, 
at that time, embraced whole counties, almost entirely without roads, 
and a few scattered settlements at great distances from each other, 
and many of the places he could visit but once or twice during the 
whole year. The next year — 1827-8 — he was stationed at Cincin- 
nati, and, subsequently, at Hamilton, Greenville, Eaton, Milford, 
Union, White Oak, and Lebanon. In 1838, he was transferred to 
the Michigan Conference, and stationed at Monroe. His appoint- 
ments in that Conference have been as follows : Tecumseh, Ann 
Arbor, Adrian, Dexter, First Church at Detroit, Agent of the Ameri- 
can Bible Society, four years, Presiding Elder of Detroit District, two 
years, Agent of the Conference Tract Society, one year, Walnut 
Street, Detroit, Mount Clemens and Lee Chapel, Birmingham, 
Walnut Street again, and French Mission, Flint, Hudson, Adrian 
again, Clifton, Hancock, Houghton, and Lexington. He received 
forty-three appointments from the Bishop, and never failed heartily 
to do the work assigned him. 

" He was a man of extraordinary physical strength ; with a loud 
voice, a cheerful temper, and untiring industry. He was a warm- 
hearted Methodist minister, of strong faith, and greatly beloved by 
all, both children and adults. He was at home in the city or in the 
country, in family worship and pastoral visiting, or in the great 
Camp Meeting. He attended every session of the Conference, and, 
though he spoke but seldom, he was always listened to with atten- 
tion, and his counsel had great weight. He was a member of the 
General Conference of 1844, and correctly represented the senti- 
ments of his Conference in that great struggle. 

"Brother Baughman labored in many revivals of religion during 
his long ministry 7 , both on his own charges, and with his brother 
ministers. He was an earnest evangelist. In the prime of his 
strength, no man, perhaps, surpassed him in efficiency. For a short 
time during his ministry, he was embarrassed with business difficul- 
ties, in which he was involved by others, but nothing could divert him 
from the great work of his life. 

"At the last session of this Conference, though, seemingly, in 
good health, he asked for a superannuated relation, stating that the 
fatigues of regular work wearied him, but expressing his intention 
still to labor for his Master, and hoping, after a year or two, to 
resume an efficient relation. He resided in Detroit, and, with his 
accustomed energy, aided the Presiding Elder and others, and was 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. I 87 

ready to respond to every call for assistance, within his power, His 
last sermon was on February 16th, 1868, in the Jefferson Avenue 
church, Detroit, on ' Faith, Hope and Charity.' He preached with 
even unusual fervor, and the power of the Holy Spirit was with him. 
Unable to preach in the evening of the same day, he was feeble 
afterwards, but not alarmingly so, till in the night of March 1st, 
without warning, he fell asleep in Jesus. He left no dying testi- 
mony, save that noblest and best — the history of his long life spent 
in the service of his Redeemer. 

" Brother Baughman needs from us no eulogy. His labors will 
never be forgotten. As an advocate of abstinence from intoxicating 
drink, as an agent of the Bible Society, and as a preacher of the 
Gospel, he was known all over the State, and no man in it, perhaps, 
has contributed more to its genuine and solid prosperity. His ex- 
clamation, like ours, would be, ■ To God, alone, be all the glory.' " 

Rev. Curtis Goddard was appointed Presiding Elder of Detroit 
District in 1829, and remained in charge of it for three years. He 
was a very sweet-spirited man, a devout Christian, and a very good 
preacher. His sermons were plain, and addressed to the heart, as 
well as to the intellect. He was a very kind and diligent superin- 
tendent of the work committed to his charge. He was elected 
by the Ohio Conference as a delegate to the General Conference 
of 1832, which met at Philadelphia. Mr. Goddard was admitted on 
trial in the Ohio Conference in 18 14, and located in 1834, having 
been just twenty years in the ministry. He was born in Connecti- 
cut, but emigrated to Ohio in early youth. He had not married up 
to the time he desisted from the active ministry, and he located 
from a sense of duty to his parents, who were very aged, and needed 
his care. Having located, or dissolved his connection with the Con- 
ference, he is lost to our sight, and we have very few materials from 
which to construct an appreciative notice of his life and character. 
The most we know of him is from having been two years under 
him as Presiding Elder. The remembrance of these years is very 
precious. He was useful as a minister. We have learned the fact 
of his decease, but have not been able to ascertain the date or any 
of the circumstances. 

One of the largest, and, yet, one of the most supple men we 
ever knew, was Rev. James Gilruth, who was appointed Presiding 
Elder of Detroit District at the session of the Ohio Conference 
which met in Dayton, Ohio, September 19th, 1832. The District 
had been diminished a little in its limits by attaching the southwest 
corner of Michigan to the Indiana Conference ; but the number of 



1 88 HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

charges to be looked after was increased. In consequence of his great 
weight, Mr. Gilruth found it necessary, on his long routes and bad 
roads, to have two horses. He would ride one for a time, and allow 
the other to follow, and then he would change. There was but a 
very small portion of his route where he could go with a wagon or 
carriage, and so, to travel it, it was necessary for him to have his 
two large horses. He had the appearance of being a very stern 
and ungenial man — but whoever would so judge of him would be 
mistaken. We were in his District for three years, and were much 
in his company, and always found him to be one of the most sociable 
and genial men we ever knew. He was a very conscientious man 
in all he did. As a preacher, he was plain in language, but, often, 
deep in thought and energetic in manner. He never shunned to 
declare what he conceived to be the whole Gospel of Christ. He 
was a faithful but kind disciplinarian. He continued on the Detroit 
District for four years. The last year of his service on it, the 
District was still more reduced by the creation of the Ann Arbor 
District, so that he was confined to the territory east of Ann Arbor. 
His services on the District, and in Michigan, terminated with the 
Conference of September, 1836. At this Conference, he located for 
the purpose of establishing a community with all things in common ; 
but, finding that human nature was still selfish, he became disgusted 
with the enterprise, and returned to the ministry after one year. He 
joined the Ohio Conference, in which he labored for a few years, and 
then went west, being transferred to the Iowa Conference, and set- 
tled his family not far from Davenport. Here he spent his last years 
in great tranquillity, preaching occasionally, and always to the satis- 
faction of the people. He deceased in 1873. 

Mr. Gilruth was admitted into the traveling connection by the 
Ohio Conference in 181 9, so he had been in the ministry thirteen 
years when he was appointed to Detroit District. He was born and 
brought up in the valley of the Ohio River, and had but few scholas- 
tic advantages ; but, such was his ability to acquire knowledge, and 
such his diligence in seeking it, that very few errors could be detected 
in his use of language. He was very plain in his dress, and, possi- 
bly, went to an extreme in this respect. His coming to the Detroit 
District was not his first visit to Michigan, although it was the first 
in the character of a Christian and minister of the Gospel ; for he 
was here as a soldier in the War of 181 2. As a soldier, he was 
true, and ever ready to obey orders. The same principle of true- 
ness he carried into his Christian and ministerial life. He was one 
of God's noblemen. There is no doubt of his having gone to receive 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. I 89 

a crown of life ; it will not be a starless crown, for, by his diligence 
and Christian labor, continued for so many years, he was the means, 
of turning many from darkness to light — from sin to holiness. 
He has gone ; but he lives in those who have been saved from sin 
through his efforts. So, it may be said of him as of Abel, in his 
faith and labor, " by it he being dead yet speaketh." He had a 
deep religious experience, and preached holiness with great effect, 
and lived according to the doctrines he taught. 

There is no name connected with our History which carries with 
it a sweeter fragrance than that of Edward Thomson, who, accord- 
ing to the Official Minutes, was stationed in Detroit, in the distribu- 
tion of ministerial labors, in September, 1836. He remained in this 
station for two years. He had then been in the ministry for three 
years, having been received into the Ohio Conference in 1833. He 
was born in Portsea, England, October 12th, 18 10. In 18 18 his 
parents came to America, stopping in Pennsylvania for two years ; 
and they settled in Ohio in 1820. He was converted, and joined 
the Methodist Episcopal Church in December, 1831. In the 
meantime, he had studied and graduated in medicine, and had 
settled down for what he considered his life-work — the practice 
of medicine. How often God changes our life-plans ! So here, 
when he was converted, he soon felt the conviction of duty to give 
himself up to the ministry. His career was a brilliant and useful 
one. He was six years a pastor, five years in charge of Norwalk 
Seminary, in Ohio, where many young men were educated, who 
became ministers. He was two years editor of the Ladies Reposi- 
tory, fourteen years President of the Ohio Wesleyan University, and 
four years editor of the Christian Advocate, at New York. In May, 
1864, he was elected and ordained Bishop, which office he filled to 
the entire satisfaction of the Church. He died at Wheeling, West 
Virginia, March 2 2d, 1870, while away from home, in the discharge 
of his episcopal work. He was small in stature, but large in in- 
tellect, and was a manly man. He was mainly self-educated, not 
having had the advantages of a college graduation, and, yet, he was 
a very successful college president. He had thoroughly disciplined 
his own mind, and was well qualified to assist others. As a Christian, 
he knew the virtue of the blood of Jesus Christ to cleanse from all 
sin, having devoted all his powers to God and His service through 
faith in the atonement. We take the following estimate of his 
character and his work, as given in the memorial services of the 
General Conference of 1872, and found in the journal of that Con- 
ference : 



I9O HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

"Bishop Thomson was a man of decided convictions and of 
deep piety; tender and gentle as a woman, but firm and unwaver- 
ing as a hero. His reading was extensive and varied ; as a speaker 
he was eloquent ; as a writer, he had few equals for aptness of ex- 
pression and simplicity and beauty of style. In every position — as 
pastor, teacher, editor and Bishop — he worked successfully, and more 
than met the expectations of the Church. He lived as he died — in 
calm and peaceful trust and confidence in God. Living, he was 
honored and beloved by all who knew him , dying, he is embalmed 
in the memory and affections of the Church " 

Rev. Arza Brown is a name which must not be overlooked in 
connection with Detroit. He was appointed to Detroit station in 
1828, and continued in it for two years ; and was then appointed to 
Oakland Circuit, which he supplied for one year only. These three 
years constituted his term of service in Michigan, but yet it will be 
both pleasing and profitable to trace his life and labors through, as 
is done in the official memoir, which we shall insert in full. We 
have been favored with extracts from his journal, which he kept 
covering the time of his labor in Michigan These extracts will be 
found to be both profitable and interesting. He says: — 

"At the Conference which sat in Chillicothe, Ohio, September 
1 8th, 1828, I was appointed to Detroit station. Rev. Zarah H. 
Coston was Presiding Elder. With the exception of the last two 
years of the war with England, the city had been quite regularly 
supplied with Methodist preaching since 1809. Rev. William Case, 
of the New York Conference, was the minister in 1809. 

"Notwithstanding the city had been so ably and faithfully sup- 
plied for so many years with Methodist preaching, yet when I enter- 
ed upon this charge there were but about sixty members in the 
Methodist Episcopal Church. This want of success was doubtless 
owing, in part, to opposition from the Catholic, Calvinistic and Uni- 
versalist churches, the world and the Devil, and partly for the want 
of an inviting and commodious house of worship properly located. 
For several years the Methodist society had no house of their own 
in which to worship God. They generally occupied what was called 
the 'Old Council House,' a building used for too great a variety of 
purposes, to render it a suitable place in which to worship a God of 
purity. 

"In choosing a location for the church, the quite too common 
error of those days was repeated here. Instead of locating the 
house of worship where the greater number of citizens, without 
much labor or inconvenience, could regularly attend divine service, 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. I9I 

they placed their new church far out on the commons, with no pave- 
ments or sidewalks, the streets often during autumn, winter and 
spring, wet and muddy. At the same time the Catholic, Presbyterian 
and Baptist churches were properly located in the most compactly 
settled portions of the city. 

"To remedy the evil, in part, I succeeded in laying down a plank 
walk, after which, as 'free seats/and the doctrines and usages of the 
Methodist Episcopal Church, were popular with the masses, our 
congregations were increasingly large and attentive. The most prom- 
inent members were Jerry Dean and wife. His name was as 'oint- 
ment poured forth/ He was leader, steward, trustee and superin- 
tendent of the Sabbath School. Religion was the first business of 
his life. His piety was deep, the cause of Christ lay near his heart, 
hence he was always ready for every good word and work, and his 
house, like that of Bethany, was a pleasent home for the servants of 
Christ. Robert Abbott and wife — he was a 'defender of the faith,' 
a firm friend and supporter of Methodism, a leader, steward and 
trustee. He and his kind wife furnished the first home for the 
first Methodist ministers who visited Detroit. Revs. Case, Morey, 
Joseph Mitchell, J. B. Finley, and others, of precious memory, often 
found a resting-place with this kind family. Henry Dean and wife 
— active Christians. Sister Dean was a sweet singer, and delighted 
in the cross of Christ. Nathaniel Champ and wife — both pious and 
pursuing the even tenor of their way. Philip Warren and wife — 
Methodists of the good old stamp. Israel Noble and wife — he was 
leader, steward, and trustee ; she was remarkably gifted in prayer 
and exhortation. Father and Mother Garrison — old-fashioned Meth- 
odists. Father and Mother Cook — consistent and persevering Chris- 
tians ; Methodists of sterling stamp. Brother and Sister Knapp — 
he was superintendent of the turnpike running from Detroit to Ohio; 
was a fast friend and supporter of the Church ; she was pious, amia- 
ble, and an ornament to society. Mother Witherell, wife of Hon. Dr. 
Witherell, Secretary of the Territory of Michigan — she was a holy 
woman, fervently praying daily for many years for the conversion of 
husband and children. Hon. B. F. H. Witherell and wife — he was 
a popular lawyer. Sister Witherell was a faithful, devoted Christian 
woman, attending, as far as within her power, all the means of grace. 

" During the year we were favored with some religious pros- 
perity. Near its close I was employed as Chaplain for the Legisla- 
tive Council, and, with the advice of my Presiding Elder, did not 
attend Conference, which met in Urbana, September 3d, 1829.* At 

* Mis daughter, Mrs. Isaac Hitt, of Evanston, in a note, says: " This was the only time my dear father \va» 
absent from his Annual Conference from 1824 to 1S61." 



I92 HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

this session of Conference, I was re-appointed to Detroit. The charge 
continued. A number were awaked, and converted, and united with 
the Methodist Episcopal Church during the year. God poured out 
His Holy Spirit, and in copious showers, upon us. 

" At one of a series of meetings I was holding, as I was inviting 
penitents to the altar for prayer, a young and beautiful French- 
Catholic lady came forward, weeping and penitent. As she knelt at 
the altar, Mrs. Abbott asked her 4 why she had presented herself 
there ?' i I wish to confess to your priest/ she replied, ' and receive 
absolution/ So Mrs. Abbott repeated to me this request. I felt 
humbled and abashed. Painful, indeed, were the emotions of my 
heart. I would fain have hid my face in the dust. A poor sinner 
confessing to a sinful man — looking to a frail, erring mortal for 
absolution ! I told her she must confess to God, and look to him, 
through Christ alone, for pardon and salvation. I exhorted her to 
give her heart to God, and to pray with all her heart to the blessed 
Jesus. 

" Lifting her streaming eyes towards Heaven, she prayed, 
'Lord Jesus, have mercy on my poor soul!' The whole assembly 
was moved to tears. The altar was crowded, and some precious 
souls were added to the Church. The good work continued to 
prosper, and my second year in Detroit wound up pleasantly. I 
received, as my salary, one hundred dollars each year. 

"I left the city Angust 1st, 1830, and, on the 12th of August, 
was united in marriage to Miss Mary Hyde, at the residence of her 
father, Joel Hyde, Esq., Farmington, Trumbull County, Ohio. Rev. 
J. Scott was the officiating minister." 

. This proved to be a very happy marriage, and Mrs. Brown was 
and is a very intelligent and educated lady ; and has been very use- 
ful in the work of God in the Church, in connection with her hus- 
band while he lived, and now survives him. We continue the ex- 
tracts: 

" OAKLAND CIRCUIT. 

" September 8th, 1830, Conference met at Lancaster, Ohio. I 
was appointed to Oakland Circuit, Detroit District; Curtis Goddard, 
Presiding Elder, and William Sprague, my colleague. From this 
Conference we went directly to Farmington, packed our goods, 
shipped them, at Fairport, for Detroit ; then, taking leave of be- 
loved parents and friends, we left in our carriage for our distant 
field of labor. A toilsome journey it was, through mud and storm. 
After ten days we reached our Circuit. The territory embraced 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. I 93 

within its limits was new ; accommodations for man and beast were 
limited ; no parsonage — not even a room to be rented. 

" Dr. Parke and wife, of precious memory, when we were thus 
without shelter, invited us to their hospitable home. They were every- 
day Christians, ready for every good word and work. May they be 
eternally rewarded for their kindness ! After a few weeks, I suc- 
ceeded in obtaining a room in a house in Auburn. This house was 
weather-boarded, but not ceiled. A partition of rough boards di- 
vided the rooms. It was a cold house in a cold climate ; and in this 
small, cold room we spent the cold winter of 1830-31. But we were, 
in this manner of living, sharing the privations incident to this new 
country with our dear friends, who were ever ready to extend to us 
acts of kindness, which will never be forgotten. 

11 Now and then I borrowed a team, and, axe in hand, would go 
to the forest, chop, load, and draw home my own firewood, and, 
then, prepare it for our use. Early in the spring, I was so fortunate 
as to obtain a larger and more comfortable room in Bloomfield, and 
thither we removed. Here our daughter Mary was born, and here 
we resided until the close of the year. 

" This Circuit embraced the villages of Mount Clemens, Utica, 
Romeo, Troy, Auburn, Bloomfield, Farmington, &c, and a large 
number of sparsely settled neighborhoods. The following were 
some of the most prominent and active members of the charge, 
viz: 

" Rev. Abel Warren and wife — he was a popular local preacher, 
universally beloved and respected ; she was a truly pious woman, 
and active in the cause of Christ. Rev. Laban Smith and wife. 
They were living in a village called Sodom, settled principally by 
Universalians, two or three of whom were preachers, and they all 
seemed to vie with each other in persecuting the Methodist Church ; 
and Brother and Sister Smith, like Lot of old, were vexed by their 
ungodly conversation, doctrine and practice. But they continued 
steadfast in the faith, daily witnessing a good profession. 

" Once, while preaching in this neighborhood upon the certainty 
of the doctrine of eternal punishment, as I concluded my discourse, 
a Scotchman in the congregation arose, and, addressing a Univer- 
salist preacher present, said, in his broad accent: 'You musn't try, 
any more, to put out the lake of eternal fire, for, if you do, Mr. 
Brun will drop a cowl in it, and set it on fire again!' 

" On this Circuit there were Brother and Sister Beach, Brother 
and Sister Parker, Brother and Sister Gould, Brother and Sister 
Holland, Brother and Sister Downer, and, besides these, there were 



I 94 HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

others, faithful, official members — consistent professors, waymarks 
to Heaven, whose names are written in the Book of Life. 

" We held two Camp Meetings this year, and, notwithstanding 
we were opposed by rowdies of the baser sort, the power of God 
was gloriously displayed in the awakening and conversion of very 
many precious souls. 

" At one of these meetings, on a dark night, a number of very 
wicked young men were congregated together near the encamp- 
ment, and, by their profanity and noisy revelry, were disturbing the 
meeting. Brother Elijah H. Pilcher, who was there, young and 
sprightly, borrowed a hat and coat of a farmer — completely dis- 
guising himself in this suit, and assuming a swaggering manner, he 
joined the rowdy crowd, and, while they were concocting their 
fiendish plans, he seemed to acquiesce. After a short time, he pro- 
posed that one of their number should preach a sermon and meet 
class, ' as the Methodists do,' to which they all agreed. But, who 
was to preach ? One after another refused. At length he consent- 
ed, provided that each and all of them would pledge their sacred 
honor that they would sit quietly, and make no disturbance during 
sermon and class, to which they all consented. After binding them 
as with the solemnity of an oath, he read his text, and, from the 
commencement of his discourse, he waxed warmer and warmer 
until its close. Soon after the opening of the sermon, one of the 
young men straightened up and said, ' Now, it is not fair to deceive 
us in that way.' ' Hush ! hush !' said Pilcher. ' Remember, you 
promised, on the honor of a man, you would make no disturbance 
till I close my sermon and class.' After this appeal to their honor, 
and, realizing that they were ' sold/ they remained quiet, and, before 
the close of the class-meeting, nearly all of the company were on 
their knees, praying for pardon, and, before the next morning sev- 
eral of them were happily converted to God. 

" There was in attendance at one of these Camp Meetings, a 
Baptist gentleman, who, for many years, had delighted in criticising 
his Methodist neighbors on account of their noisy meetings, their 
shouting, and their sometimes falling, like men slain in battle, under 
the influence of the presence and power of God. Under a search- 
ing sermon, preached at 1 1 o'clock a. m., Sabbath, this brother 
was smitten by the Holy Spirit, and fell prostrate upon the 
ground. His Baptist friends gathered around him, overwhelmed 
with grief and fear, while the hearts of his Methodist friends were 
thrilled with holy delight. After he had lain upon the ground for 
some time, I pressed through the crowd, and was standing by his 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 1 95 

side as he opened his eyes. Seeing me, he said, ■ Brother Brown, 
what shall I do? I feel as though I wanted to shout, Glory!' I re- 
plied, ' If Joshua says shout, you may shout as loud as you please.' 
And he did shout, with all his heart and strength. But, at his first 
shout of ' Glory !' his Baptist friends forsook him and fled. 

" Another Conference year closed. The Lord had been with 
us to bless. My salary, this year, was one hundi-ed and eighty 
dollars." 

Thus far his journal goes. We have given these long extracts 
simply because they are interesting and valuable ; but we must now 
content ourself by introducing the memoir found in the Minutes of 
the Conference for 1869. 

"Rev. Arza Brown was born in Hampton, Massachusetts, 
August 13th, 1792. His religious impressions began at a very early 
period of his life, and, so thorough were the operations of the Spirit 
on his heart that he ever cherished the belief that he had experi- 
enced the renewing power of Divine grace. In 1805, his father and 
family moved to Plattsburg, New York, where, amidst the absence 
of moral and religious privileges, and the temptations of a compara- 
tively new country, young Arza relapsed into the neglect of duty, 
and wandered from God. Subsequently, in 181 6, the Holy Spirit 
revisited his heart, and, at a prayer-meeting, January 19th, 181 7, he 
was re-assured of pardon and Divine acceptance. This work was 
so thorough, pervading his entire nature, and developing in the 
actions of his life, that a glorious revival ensued, resulting in the 
conversion of a number of souls, who were formed into a class, of 
which Arza was appointed leader. Such was his growth in grace, 
and so clearly was the indication of the great Head of the Church 
of his call to a higher and wider field of usefulness, that he was 
soon licensed, first, as an exhorter, and, subsequently, as a local 
preacher. In the meantime, in 18 19, he moved to Sandusky City, 
Ohio, and then to Licking County, Ohio. 

"In 1822, convinced that it was the privilege of the believer to 
enjoy a richer baptism of the Spirit, even to ' know the love of 
Christ, which passeth knowledge, and be filled with the fullness of 
God,' he earnestly sought the attainment of that blessing, and be- 
came the happy recipient of a living witness of the truth, 'The blood 
of Jesus Christ, His Son, cleanseth from all sin.' Under this Divine 
influence he entered his life-work, first, as a local preacher, and, 
subsequently, September 2d, 1824, he was received on trial in the 
Ohio Conference. During the early part of his ministry, he enjoyed 
the society of Jacob Young and Russel Bigelow, as Presiding Elders, 



I96 HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

by whose wise counsels and holy lives he profited greatly. His itin- 
erant ministry began on Zanesville Circuit, and his subsequent fields 
of labor were the following: 1825, Straight Creek Circuit; 1826-7, 
Sandusky Circuit; 1828-9, Detroit Station, Michigan, then in the 
bounds of the Ohio Conference. Of the high estimate in which 
Brother Brown was held while stationed in Detroit, it is sufficient 
to remark that, unsought on his part, he was elected Chaplain of the 
Territorial Legislature, then in session in that city. August 12th, 
1830, he was married, by Rev. J. Scott, to Miss Mary, daughter of 
Joel Hyde, of Farmington, Trumbull County, Ohio, a lady emi- 
nently qualified, by mental culture and grace, for the position of 
minister's wife. For nearly thirty-nine years, the now bereaved wife 
contributed, by her wise counsels, faithfulness, and purity of life, to 
the successful ministerial efforts of her husband. 

" Brother Brown's itinerant career covered a large extent of 
territory, as will be manifest, not only from a survey of the appoint- 
ments mentioned above, but more particularly from those which 
follow, namely: 1830, Oakland Circuit, Detroit district; 1831, Co- 
lumbus Circuit, Ohio ; 1832, Dayton station ; 1833-4, Piqua ; 1835, 
Xenia; 1836-7, Marietta; 1838-9, Athens ; 1840, Chillicothe ; 1841, 
West Union Circuit; 1842, Greenfield; 1843, Frankfort Circuit; 
1844, Parkersburg, Va.; 1845, Barlow Circuit, Ohio; 1846-7, Ham- 
ilton; 1848-9, Christie Chapel, Cincinnati ; 1850— 1, South Charles- 
ton; 1852, North Bend Circuit; 1853-4, Lockland Circuit; 1855, 
Raper Chapel, Cincinnati. He was elected a member of the dele- 
gation of the Cincinnati Conference to the General Conference 
which sat in Indianapolis, May, 1856. For thirty-one consecutive 
years he sustained an effective relation in the ministry, but, pros- 
trated by protracted illness and infirmity, he was finally compelled to 
request the Conference, at its session in Ripley, Ohio, October 1st, 
1856, to grant him a superannuated relation, which he sustained the 
balance of his life. From this period (1856) the pen of an intimate 
and long-tried friend has faithfully sketched the remainder of his 
labors with a thrillingly joyful narrative of the closing scene of his 
earthly pilgrimage: 'In 1858, he removed to Chicago, and settled in 
the West Division, on West Indiana Street. He served by appoint- 
ment of the Presiding Elder, West Indiana Street for three years 
with great usefulness. In 1863 he and his wife were appointed as 
delegates, by the Christian Commission, to labor among the soldiers 
in the army. They went first to Nashville, Tennessee. In 1864, 
he was authorized to open a branch of the Christian Commission in 
Natchez, and for two years and a half labored among the soldiers in 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. I 97 

the camps and hospitals, and then among the freedmen in Natchez, 
Vicksburg and Baton Rouge. In the spring of 1868, he greatly- 
enjoyed the company of many of his old companions whom he met 
during the session of the General Conference in Chicago, Illinois. 
In the fall of 1868, he went South again, and spent some time in labor 
in New Orleans. In January last he and his wife left New Orleans 
and went to the St. Mary's Parish, on the Teche, and labored in the 
Orphans' Home. Here he was able to do but little. He had a set- 
tled conviction, from the first attack, that he would never recover, 
and greatly desired to return to his home in Chicago to die. He 
was conveyed on his bed from the Orphans' Home to the boat by 
four colored men who loved him dearly. Carried by strangers from 
the boat to the cars, he found his way home. Shortly after his 
arrival home, he, feeling that his time was short, asked to have a 
number of the ministers invited, that he might with them once more 
celebrate the sacrament of the Lord's Supper. Bishop Thomson 
conducted this service. For eight months he was not able to help 
himself in the least, and yet from his lips escaped no complaint. He 
rejoiced continually in the Lord, even in the midst of the greatest 
agony. He had asked an old friend, whom he had known since 
1825, to be with him in his last hour, to close his eyes and comfort 
his family. This friend watched with him during the last night, and 
whenever the name of Jesus or heaven was mentioned his face 
would light up, and he would exclaim, 'Precious Jesus! Glorious 
heaven!' Towards morning his daughter said, 'Father, do you feel 
you are going?' He answered, 'Not now, but I shall go very soon;' 
and then continued: 'The Blessed Savour said, If I go away, I will 
come again and receive you to myself; that where I am there ye 
may be also. O how blessed it will be to be with Christ! to see him 
as he is, and more blessed to be like him!' He then added, T am 
all ready, waiting the descent of the chariot of die Lord, to go home 
to heaven.' He lingered until noon. He and his wife had often 
talked about the possibility of seeing Jesus before the soul left the 
body, and she asked him in some way, when first he saw the Saviour, 
if he did so before he left the body, to let her know. Just before 
the last, as he was reclining upon his pillow, with eyes closed, he ex- 
claimed, with a full voice, 'Life! Life!' and his spirit departed. May 
it not be that this was the signal given when first he saw, with un- 
veiled vision, the blessed Jesus ? Thus died Rev. Arza Brown, in 
the sventy-seventh year of his age, the fifty-third of his Christian life, 
and the forty-fifth of his ministry. As a preacher, he was eminently 
practical and useful. He was loving and gentle in his life, kind and 



I98 HISTORV OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

affectionate in his family. His whole life was a pure commentary 
upon the Gospel he so loved to preach.' Appropriate funeral ser- 
vices were observed at the Indiana Street Church, Chicago, Illinois, 
Monday, August 2d, 1869, and thence he was borne to his final rest- 
ing-place, his body sleeping in Jesus, and awaiting the resurrection 
morn. Precious is the memory of the departed who sleep in Jesus." 
Thus closed the life and labors of a very good and useful minister 
of the Gospel of the blessed Saviour. 

After this long digression, we will return to the line of our 
History, and further trace the progress of the Protestant Churches 
in the city. We closed our account of the Methodist Church with 
the session of the Conference in 1837. Nothing special occurred, 
calling for any particular notice, till 1843. At the session of the 
Conference this year, it was determined to appoint two ministers, 
with the view of organizing a second Church. The second Society- 
was organized shortly after the Conference, in which William Phelps, 
a local preacher, and L. L. Farnsworth, both still residing in Detroit, 
and William Scott, now of St. Clair, were leading spirits, and made 
the sacrifice of their pleasant Church associations to promote the 
enterprise, and were active laborers. 

By the way, William Phelps became the first superintendent of 
the Sabbath School of this new organization, and continued to act 
successfully in that capacity for several years. He came to this 
work with some experience, as he had been superintendent of the 
First, or Woodward Avenue Methodist Episcopal Sabbath School, 
for a period of time in which Mr. Owen had resigned. Mr. Phelps 
commenced business in the City of Detroit, when but a young man, 
on a small capital, in groceries and confectioneries ; but, for a num- 
ber of years past, he has been engaged in a wholesale, or jobbing 
business in groceries, and has attained to a good degree of wealth. 
He professed faith in Christ, and united with the Methodist Church 
in Detroit, in 1836, under the labors of the late Bishop Thomson. 

When the War of the Rebellion broke out, he entered the 
army in connection with the Paymaster's department, with the rank 
of Major. In that department he did good service to his country 
and credit to himself, and was promoted to the rank of Colonel. 
He has, also, mingled somewhat in politics, having served as Alder 
man in his ward for two terms ; been a member of the State Legis- 
lature, and an active member of State and other conventions. In all 
these positions, he has endeavored to carry his religion with him. 
He was licensed as a local preacher in 1843, an( ^» m due ti me was 
ordained Deacon, and Elder, and has ever been ready, wherever he 




CENTRAL M. E. CHURCH, DETROIT. 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. I 99 

has been, to supply any lack of ministerial service. He is an active 
man, and has carried his activity into religious work. 

There were some noble women, also, who identified themselves 
with the new branch. It was difficult to find a suitable and inviting 
place in which to worship. But they struggled on. The next year — 
that is, in 1844 — the second Church appears among the appointments 
in the Minutes, with Ransom R. Richards as preacher in charge. The 
growth of this Society was slow, at first, for the want of a proper place 
to hold services. The United States Court room was secured for a 
time, then the State House. Mr. Richards was not content with such 
accommodations ; but, assisted by the brethren, he secured a lot on 
the corner of Congress and Randolph Streets, on which a brick 
church, of respectable dimensions, was erected and dedicated in 
1846. This new church prospered well for years, but, in 1863, the 
building was consumed by fire, and, instead of rebuilding on the same 
ground, they determined to sell and build elsewhere ; and, in cast- 
ing about, they secured lots on the corner of Woodward and Adams 
Avenues, which led to the consolidation of the Woodward Avenue 
and Congress Street Societies, under the ecclesiastical name of the 
Central Methodist Episcopal Church, and to the erection of that 
magnificent building known by that name. This church was com- 
pleted and dedicated in 1868. 

The church building erected in 1834 by the First Church, having 
become too small, they erected a new church on the corner of Wood-* 
ward Avenue and State Street, in 1848-9, which they occupied until 
the Central was erected, as above. In the spring of 1849, tne wooden 
building on the corner of Woodward Avenue and Congress Street 
was removed to the corner of Lafayette Avenue and Fourth Street, 
and a new Society was organized, so that, in 1849, three charges 
appear in the Minutes. This Lafayette Avenue Church, having be- 
come too small, the Society erected a fine brick church on the corner 
of Howard and Fourth Streets, dedicated in 1875, the name of which 
was changed to that of the Tabernacle Methodist Episcopal Church. 
Other Societies, both English and German, were organized, and 
churches built; so that, in 1876, there were eight churches, with 
ministers stationed in charge of them, besides some Sunday School 
chapels. Concerning the work among the Germans, we purpose to 
speak in the concluding chapter. 

A Methodist Mission for the benefit of the French population 
was established in 1851, and continued for about fifteen or sixteen 
years, and then was discontinued. Good had been done — some had 
been converted, and added to the Church, who were steadfast in the 



200 HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

faith — but the success did not seem to warrant the continuance of the 
Mission. 

The Protestant Episcopal Church has, in the meantime, so in- 
creased, that they have ten parishes supplied with services, and they 
are making large efforts to advance in their influence in the city. 
They have four costly edifices and several smaller ones. 

The Presbyterian Church, from the one church on Woodward 
Avenue, has increased to five congregations, with large and elegant 
houses of worship, and are ably supplied with ministers, and two 
Mission Churches. These churches are well distributed for exerting 
an influence in the city. In addition to these, a United Presbyterian 
Church was organized in 1853, which has prospered well, and, prob- 
ably, in time, will be united with the others. 

We here introduce to notice one whose name has been familiar 
to the Michigan public for many years — for who has not heard of 
Rev. Noah M. Wells, who is now ninety-five years old, in the 
enjoyment of health and the comforts of the religion of the Lord and 
Saviour? We take great pleasure in inserting here a brief bio- 
graphical sketch of him. We regret that we cannot furnish a more 
extended one, as there must have been many interesting incidents 
connected with so long a ministerial career. We are indebted to 
Rev. Dr. Mattoon, of Monroe, for furnishing for our use a skeleton 
auto-biography deposited with him, in manuscript, and from which 
we gather the following items : He was born at Bemish Heights, 
Saratoga County, New York, July 8th, 1772. His parents were not 
professors of religion, still, they had him baptized in the Protestant 
Episcopal Church, in the fourteenth year of his age, in New Leba- 
non, New York, whither they had removed. Here he fell among 
some Universalists, and, for a time, professed that faith. But, when 
he was about twenty-one years of age, there was a very gracious 
revival of religion in the place, through the influence of which he 
was brought to the Saviour. Shortly after his conversion, he felt 
deeply impressed with a sense of obligation to preach the Gospel. 
Against this impression he revolted for a time, but, finally, concluded 
that it was best to obey God. He, however, found a great difficulty 
in his way, that was, he had but a limited education, and felt him- 
self too poor to go to college. His parents, in the meantime, had 
become Christians, and encouraged him to carry out his convictions 
of duty, though they were too poor to assist him in it, having lost 
their property, through the dishonesty of others. But, when he 
resolved to do his duty, the Lord seemed to raise up friends for him, 
so that he was enabled to graduate, in due time, from Union Col- 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 201 

lege. He then prosecuted his theological studies, and graduated, 
and entered on the pastorate. In the first year of his ministry, he 
had a very gracious revival, and added seventy-seven persons to the 
Church on one communion day. He remained in this Church about 
two years, and went away, much to the regret of the congregation. 

He next went to Brownsville, New York. Here he found an 
irreligious people, without any kind of religious organization. A 
place of worship was provided. In the midst of his first sermon, 
some ladies came in, when all the gentlemen arose and bowed to 
them. At the close of his sermon he told them that a place of wor- 
ship was not a drawing-room, and that the etiquette of the latter 
was not appropriate to the solemnities of Divine worship. After a 
few Sabbaths, he determined to leave them, in discouragement. 
When he informed them of it, the men pressed him to stay, and the 
women gathered around him, and, with tears, begged him not to 
leave them. Being so pressed, he consented to remain for some 
time longer. Soon after a small Church was organized, which was 
increased to one hundred and seventy-five members before he left, 
and they erected a commodious and tasty house of worship. This 
was a very wonderful work for such a place and time. 

Mr. Wells came to Detroit in June, 1825. He says he found 
Presbyterian members, but no Church or organization. There was 
what was called the " First Presbyterian Church of Detroit. But, 
he says, " it was neither Congregational nor Presbyterian." So, after 
consultation, they concluded to begin de novo, and organized a Pres- 
byterian Church with thirty-six members, which, he says, " was the 
first Presbyterian Church in Michigan." This statement of Mr. 
Wells does not exactly agree with the published Manual of the 
" First Presbyterian Church," which claims that the Church was or- 
ganized in January, 1825, and that there were forty-nine members 
constituting it. We conclude that Mr. Wells is right — that January 
was mistaken for June by the copyist for the Manual, and that the 
excess of persons were members, the exact time of whose joining 
was not recorded, and they were supposed to have been original 
members by the compiler, as was the case with some of the persons 
whose names are attached to the articles of association of the " First 
Protestant Society of Detroit," for some of them were not residents 
of Detroit at the time of the organization, but attached their names 
subsequently. It was also claimed that there was a Presbyterian 
Church organized at Monroe, in 1820, and Mackinaw, in 1823. But 
we are not concerned to reconcile these claims. He became the 
pastor of the new Church, and continued as such for about eleven 



202 HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

years. He was succeeded by Rev. John P. Cleveland, for a few- 
years, and he, again, by Rev. George Duffield, D. D. His health 
having failed, Mr. Wells went into secular business for a time. He 
taught in the branch of the Michigan University at Niles for a few 
years. After this, he was appointed a chaplain in the army, and was 
stationed at Prairie du Chien. He labored for nearly two years at 
Galena, Illinois, with much success, and then returned East, and sup- 
plied the Church at Maumee City, Ohio, for a short season. 

We next find him employed by the " Western Seaman's Friend 
Society," and taking charge of the Bethel work and interests at 
Detroit. He continued in this work, with success, for six years. 
Now, being far advanced in years, and feeling the weight of those 
years pressing upon him, he determined to give up any further 
active work in the ministry, and retired to the township of Erie, in 
Monroe County, Michigan, and resides with a son. He has not been 
without his afflictions and bereavements ; for he has buried three 
wives — most estimable women they were, too — and one daughter. 
But, in all these things, he has always found the Lord and Saviour a 
present help. 

Father Wells has been rather a remarkable man. Few attain 
to his present age — ninety-five years. He is cheerful and happy, 
waiting patiently for the coming of his Lord. He has done a great 
amount of work for the Christian cause in connection with the Pres- 
byterian Church. He was decided in his attachment to his own 
Church, without bigotry. He was not brilliant, but sound in intel- 
lect. He was laborious in study. He commenced his ministry by 
writing and memorizing two sermons every week, which he found to 
be too heavy for him, as any man will who undertakes it. He is 
worthy of commendation for his efforts to secure a thorough educa- 
tion. He was not converted until he was twenty-one years of age, 
and then, for a time, he struggled against his convictions of duty, 
so that he must have been, at least, twenty-two before he began 
to make his preparations for college, but yet he did so, and took a 
regular course in college, and in the Theological Seminary, and so 
fitted himself for his work. 

Mr. Wells was succeeded, in the First Presbyterian Church 
in Detroit, by Rev. John P. Cleveland, who continued as pastor 
until 1838, when he resigned. He was succeeded by Rev. George 
Duffield, who, having received the unanimous call of the Church, 
resigned his position in the City of New York, and came to Detroit. 
He commenced his labors in this city on the first of October, 1838, 
and, on the nth day of December, in the same year, he was in- 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 203 

stalled pastor by the Presbytery of Detroit. Dr. Duffield con- 
tinued his relation to this Church until 1868, making a pastorate 
of the same Church for thirty years, and was much beloved by his 
people. 

In 1865, Dr. Duffield's health becoming somewhat impaired 
he desired to have some relief in his arduous labors, and, at his 
request, an associate was called. " He, however, continued in the, 
full exercise of his pastorate, preaching half a day, each Sabbath, 
until his death, which occurred on the 26th day of June, 1868." 

Dr. Duffield was a man of untiring industry and perseverance 
in study, and made very thorough preparation for the pulpit. He, 
also, was a great friend to educational institutions, and filled the 
office of Regent of the University of Michigan for many years, he 
having been one of the original Board appointed under the law of 
the State for the organization of that institution, in 1837. 

In the latter part of his life, especially, he became very deeply 
devoted to the cause of Christ, and very catholic in spirit. He was 
much interested in the work of the Young Men's Christian Associ- 
ation. The last work that he did was in connection with that body. 
We quote from the Manual of the Church : 

" He died with his harness on. While addressing the Young 
Men's Christian International Convention, just then assembled in 
Detroit, in words of welcome from the Churches of the city, he was 
stricken down, and carried home by his friends to die. He was 
buried from the church, on the Sabbath succeeding his death. 

"What a glorious death ! How fitting for this eminent servant 
of God to be thus translated from the Church on earth to the 
Church triumphant in Heaven." 

The Baptist Church has multiplied, and divided, and there are, 
now, two English-speaking Churches, having elegant and commodi- 
ous places of worship, and one German and one French. The last 
two are small, and have not yet supplied themselves with com- 
modious churches. There is, also, one Church among the colored 
people. 

There are two Methodist Episcopal Churches among the col- 
ored population, each having a house of worship, but they are not 
under the control and management of the white Church. Still, they 
are identified with them, and are to be enumerated with Episcopal 
Methodists. They are doing a good work among their own people. 

Having run over the general history, it is well to call attention 
to some special occasions. The Annual Conference met here, for a 
second time, in 1845 » Bishop Janes presided. This was the longest 



204 HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

and most tedious session which has ever occurred in Michigan. It 
did not adjourn till near midnight on Friday of the second week. 
There were several causes for this; Bishop Janes was young, and 
had had little experience in presiding at Conferences, having been 
elected to the Episcopal office the year before ; and there was 
an unusual number of trials among the preachers. Bishop Janes 
preached on the Sabbath, to the great delight of the people. There 
has never been a greater season of revival in the Methodist Church 
than in 1856-7, under the labors of F. A. Blades, stationed here then. 
A very large number were added to the Church. 

According to the statistics of the different leading denomina- 
tions in the city, for the year 1876, they stand as follows, viz: — 
Methodist Episcopal, 1,900 members — colored 334, total 2,234; 
Protestant Episcopal, 2,397; Presbyterian, 2,022; Baptist, 1,179; 
Congregational, 670 ; United Presbyterians, 350. 

There is another minister whose relations to the work in Detroit 
was such as to warrant the introduction of his memoir in this con- 
nection. He was stationed in the Woodward Avenue Methodist 
Episcopal Church, in 1852, and remained for two years, that being 
the disciplinary limit at that time ; and then was appointed Presiding 
Elder of that District, and died just a few weeks before his term of 
four years expired. He was a very strong and healthy-appearing 
man, and would have been readily selected as one who would be 
likely to live long and endure much hard labor. But how soon the 
fairest prospects may be laid low ! In the prime of life, and in all 
the vigor of a noble manhood, he is cut down, What an admonition 
to be always ready, having our work faithfully and well done, for the 
night cometh in which no man can work ! The following is the offi- 
cial memoir as found in the Minutes for 1858 : 

"Rev. Wellington H. Collins, late Presiding Elder of Detroit 
District, was born, May, 181 6, in Walcott, Wayne County, New 
York. In 1830 he emigrated to this State with his father, the year 
before the rest of the family, and settled in Washtenaw County. 

"He embraced religion at a Camp Meeting held in Washtenaw 
County in 1835. Soon after his conversion to God he turned his 
attention to a preparation for the work of the Christian ministry. 
Such was his success and his promise of usefulness that, in 1837, he 
was employed by the Presiding Elder to fill a vacancy in Farming- 
ion Circuit. At the close of this year he was recommended by the 
Quarterly Conference of Farmington Circuit as a proper person to 
be received into the Michigan Annual Conference on probation. 

"The Michigan Conference then embraced the north part of 







REV. WELLINGTON H. COLLINS. 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 205 

the State of Ohio and all of Michigan. His first appointment from 
the Conference was to the Dearborn Circuit, which at that time em- 
braced what is now known as the Wayne, Trenton and • Flat Rock 
charges. Here he labored with great acceptance and usefulness, as 
many of the older members of the Church still remain to testify. 

" At the close of this year, at the Conference, he was stationed 
at Defiance, Northern Ohio. The May following, at the General 
Conference held in Baltimore, the Michigan Conference was divided, 
and the North Ohio was set off, which left Brother Collins in the 
North Ohio Conference. But, by arrangement, he was permitted to 
fall into the Michigan Conference, and at the close of this year he 
was ordained Deacon by Bishop Hedding, at Marshall, in 1840, and 
admitted into full connection in the Conference. His next field of 
labor was Medina, in the south part of this State, where he remained 
two years. Having now completed his four years' course of Con- 
ference study, and approved himself to the Church and his brethren, 
he was ordained Elder by Bishop Morris, at Adrian, in 1842. He 
was married in September of this year. 

" His next charge was Edwardsburg, thence he removed to 
Niles. From Niles he was removed to Albion ; from Albion he was 
transferred to Dexter. His next field of labor was Northville. He 
was removed from this field of labor and placed upon the Ann 
Arbor District, where he remained three years, greatly to the satis- 
faction of his brethren upon the District, and the edification of the 
Church. 

" At the Niles Conference he was appointed to the charge of 
the Woodward Avenue Church, Detroit. At the close of his consti- 
tutional term here he was placed upon the Detroit District, where 
four weeks more would have completed four years of service upon 
this District, and his seventh year of service as Presiding Elder. 

" He has twice represented his brethren in the General Confer- 
ence ; first in Boston, in 1852, and lastly at Indianapolis, in 1856. In 
all of these several fields of labor, and several positions in the 
Church, it is not too much to say that he acquitted himself as a min- 
ister of Christ. 

" His memory is too fresh and too sacred for us not to feel that 
our loss is no ordinary loss, Hence our grief is no ordinary grief. 
His was a life that will bear examining, and in his singular devotion 
to God and His work, imitating. His character is a character to 
study. It is but truthful to say ' a great man has fallen in Israel.' 
Possibly, the acquaintance of an hour might not detect that greatness 
in the retiring mien of the deceased. But as acquaintance length- 



206 HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

ened, and afforded opportunity to observe him in the discharge of 
the duties of his place, and there to mark the maturity of his judg- 
ment, the firmness of his purpose, his indomitable perseverance, the 
mind was not long in being impressed with the conviction, this is 
no ordinary man. The feature of his character, to be ever devlop- 
ing some new peculiarity, and unfolding some hidden mine of wealth, 
is probably one thing that so endeared him to his brethren, and 
made his friends fast friends. It required an acquaintance and an 
intimacy of years to know him well. 

u His habit of thought was peculiarly his own, as well as his 
style of expression. On the introduction of any question involving 
the relations and obligations of men, while many were occupying 
themsevles with a few facts that possibly might be distorted or miti- 
gated by circumstances, and were seeking to base action on these, 
his mind seemed carefully to survey the field around him, and then 
go back to first principles, and the simple question with him was, ' Is 
it right f 

" Probably no man more conscientiously resolved all the ques- 
tions of life into this simple formula than he. Fixed here, he was 
immovable. Neither the frowns of power, nor the allurements of 
gain, or honor, or distinction among men, had any power to move 
him. It was here that he was liable to be misunderstood by those 
having only a public or passing acquaintance with him, and this peculi- 
arity of his character be construed into a willful persistence, when it 
was simply his soul clinging to his conscious conviction of right. 
The world was comparatively but little in sympathy with him in his 
habits of thought and processes of reasoning, requiring, as it did, so 
much mental vigor, patience, and research. At times it was irksome 
for him to attempt to popularize his views, and to address himself to 
those who were unwilling to toil in the mine of thought themselves, 
or patiently listen to the elaboration of thought that it had cost labor 
to evolve, and would cost labor to digest. But when he sat down 
with a few friends to discuss any great question, or canvass any new 
field of thought, it was truly amazing to see the change that came 
over him. His reserve was thrown off, his eye kindled, his counte- 
nance brightened up, the enginery of his mind seemed to work with 
ease and grace, while his utterance was clear, forcible, and senten- 
tious. In debate he was at home, and had his marked peculiarities. 
Relying on his own convictions of right, his attempt was to over- 
whelm his opponent with the power of that truth that swayed and 
governed his own action. At times he reached this climax in the 
pulpit. At such times his efforts were those of a master. Never 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 20/ 

ordinary in his pulpit efforts, here he excelled. These rare powers 
made him always the valuable and reliable counselor. Here was pre- 
eminently his field ; and such were the breadth of his views, the 
logical correctness of his conclusions, associated with his settled de- 
termination for the right, that his counsel and advice seemed clothed 
with authority. 

" In his Church sympathies and prejudices he was decidedly 
Methodistic — this was not of caprice, but of conviction and judg- 
ment. Still, no man was more largely catholic in his feelings. His 
heart always rejoiced, nor was he slack in expressing his joy at the 
success of his brethren in other branches of the Christian Church. 
He had a kind word, and a ( God speed you,' for his brethren in the 
Christian ministry everywhere. In them he recognized fellow-labor- 
ers in the Master's vineyard, and his heart dilated with joy as he saw 
them gathering sheaves for the Master. He was no bigot. His life 
was a life of activity, of toil and of usefulness. The ministry was to 
him no sinecure, or place of ease and indulgence. His life illustra- 
ted the motto, ' Work here and rest in Heaven.' He was emphati- 
cally a man of one work. He earnestly devoted to the work of the 
Christian ministry all the power with which God had endowed him. 
He seemed to realize in its fullest sense that 

* 'Tis not a cause of small import 

The pastor's care demands, 
But what might nil an angel's heart, 

And fill'd a Saviour's hands.' 

" Nor was his labor in vain it the Lord ; the world felt his power, 
and eternity shall reveal the fruits of his labor. Life's labor done, 
he rests at last. 

11 Afflictive, indeed are the circumstances that gather around the ' 
scene of his last suffering. He had been indisposed for some two 
weeks, yet persistently, against the advice of friends, he pursued his 
work with brave fidelity, by his actions saying, ' Wist ye not I must 
be about my Father's business ?' until Tuesday, July 20th, he re- 
mained at home. Wednesday he was confined to his bed, where, 
with varying symptoms of improvement and decline, he continued 
until Friday morning, August 6th. There seemed a marked im- 
provement, which continued until about 4 o'clock on Monday morn- 
ing, when he was seized with a chill and paralysis, from which he 
never recovered. By the paralysis he was deprived of the power of 
speech. Hence no dying farewell to his loved family, as they stood 
weeping around him ; or message of lova to his brethren in the min- 



208 HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

istry. In this state he lingered until Wednesday, August nth, when, 
at a quarter before 1 2 m., he closed his suffering and life. 

" Although there is no dying message to his brethren or strick- 
en family, from the scene of his suffering, yet in the monument of a 
consistent Christian life, and twenty years' devotion to the work of 
the Christian ministry, it is true, ' being dead, he yet speaketh.' His 
life needed not the appendix, in the words of the dying hour, to give 
his brethren and friends assurance of his happy exit from the scenes 
of time to the glories of the upper sanctua A y. " May his mantle fall 
upon his brethren, and the Master give them grace to follow him as 
he followed Christ." 

Mr. Collins was a man of settled purposes, and emphatically 
of one work. Had he lived, he would undoubtedly have been 
a great power in the councils of the Church. But God's ways are 
not as our ways, neither are His thoughts as our thoughts, and we 
must bow to His dispensations. 

We here furnish the statistics of the principal denominations of 
Protestants for the County of Wayne, as gathered from their own 
reports. We should have been pleased to have given the amount 
of Church property, and the Sunday School statistics, and should 
have done so only some of them had made no report of either of 
these items. We give them in the order in which the Churches 
were first instituted. Methodist Episcopal, 3,695 ; Protestant Epis- 
copal, 2,475; Presbyterian, 1,843; Baptist, 1,579; Congregational, 

973. 




HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 209 



CHAPTER X. 

Monroe — Methodist Society — Mary Harvey — Raisin River — Presbyterian Church — First Church 
— Methodist Church reorganized — Kent Asks for a Home — Mrs. Harvey — Baughman — 
Walker — Garwood Converted — Walker Returned — Dr. Adams Becomes Roman Catholic — 
Memoir of Walker — Revival — Methodist Society in City — Memoir of Garwood — J. W. Fin- 
ley — Church Built — Protestant Episcopals — Baptists — German Lutherans — J. F. Davidson — 
Numbers — St. Clair — Old Class Paper — John K. Smith — Subscription for Church — House 
not Finished — James T. Donahoo — Reasons for Slow Growth — S. A. Latta — A Night on the 
Lake — Why Methodist Preachers Sent — Other Churches — Numbers — Growth of Country — 
Ann Arbor — First Preaching — Presbyterian Church Organized — First Methodist Society — 
Circuits — Members — First Methodist Prayer Meeting— Sarah J. Brown — Arrangement of 
Circuits — Accessions — Name of Circuit — Colclazer and Pilcher — Maria Maynard — No defec- 
tion — Revival 1837 -'38 — Church Built — Pilcher — Progress — Presbyterian — Protestant 
Episcopal — Baptist — Congregational — Statistics — J. D. Collins — University — Dr. Cocker — Dr. 
Haven — Tecumseh — First Preachers — Society Formed — Names — Joseph Bangs — Wheeler 
— -Crois — Silliman — Quarterly Meeting — Rev. A. Darwin — Presbyterian Church Organized — 
Revival — Protestant Episcopal — Baptist — Controversy — Remarkable Conversion — Statistics. 

IjSN the order of appointments, the next on our list, after Detroit 
[S is Monroe. Monroe was platted, as a village, April 25 th, 1818. 
k Previous to this time the locality was known as French Town. 
The village was incorporated as a city by the Legislature of the 
f^State, March 2 2d, 1837. But it is not our purpose to write the 
fe) secular history of the city or county, although we have abundant 
$T material for that purpose, gathered with much care, labor and 
^ expense. It is its religious history with which we purpose to deal. 
As in the case of all the French settlements, the Romish Church 
was established contemporaneously with the settlement, and it has 
always held a wide sway. We, however, are only concerned with 
Bible, or Protestant Christianity; for, whatever charity we may have 
for individuals of that community, we can but regard it as a system 



2 I O HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

of paganism, having just enough of the Christian element in it to 
give it a semblance of Christianity — enough so that, if individuals 
will take the pains to search out the Christian elements, and sepa- 
rate them from the mass of pagan rites and ceremonies and super- 
stitions, they may believe in Christ with a saving faith. This, how- 
ever, is what we fear the multitudes do not do. 

The Gospel, in the form of Protestantism, was first introduced 
here by Rev. William Mitchell, a minister of the Methodist Episco- 
pal Church, who was on the Detroit Circuit, having received his 
appointment to that work in the autumn of 1810. He received his 
appointment to Detroit from the Western Conference, at the same 
time that Rev. Ninian Holmes was appointed from the Genesee 
Conference. He extended his labors to the few English settlers 
scattered along the River Raisin, and, such was the religious influ- 
ence he had over them, that, early in 181 1, he organized a Methodist 
Episcopal Society, or Church, consisting of about twenty-three mem- 
bers. This Society continued to exist, and was supplied by Rev. 
Ninian Holmes, until the ravages of the War of 181 2 scattered 
them all, and the Church was broken up ; but it was reorganized, in 
the spring of 182 1, by Rev. John P. Kent, who was then traveling 
Detroit Circuit. The reorganized Church consisted of the following 
persons, viz : Samuel Choat, Elizabeth Choat, Isaac B. Parker, Mary 
Parker, Lyman Harvey, Sarah Harvey (the late Mrs. Rev. John A. 
Baughman), Mary Hai^vey, Seth Choat, Ethel Choat, Abigail Clival, 
and Philura West There were eleven in all. Samuel Choat, who 
was the father of the family of Choats, was appointed the class-leader. 
Of all these only one now remains at Monroe, Mrs. Mary Harvey, 
wife of Captain Luther Harvey ; she is still a member of the Church 
in the city. Mrs. Harvey was a daughter of Samuel Choat ; was 
born in Canada, and was baptized by Rev. Mr. Sensiman, a Mora- 
vian missionary, who was associated with Heckewelder in his labors 
and sufferings among the Indians in Ohio and Michigan. In conse- 
quence of bitter persecutions in Ohio, the Christian Indians, with 
their missionaries, Heckewelder and Sensiman, came to Michigan 
and spent the winter of 1779-80, enduring vast sufferings. After 
this, Sensiman went to Canada to reside. Mrs. Harvey became a 
Christian, when she was very young, and joined the Methodist 
Episcopal Church in Canada. The family subsequently removed to 
Michigan, and constituted the principal part of the Church here, as 
reorganized by Mr. Kent. 

At the time of which we are now writing, the Society worshiped, 
for the most part, about two miles out of the village, although the 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 21 I 

ministers preached in the village. The Church did not secure a 
permanent footing in the village until February, 1832, when a revival 
occurred under the labors of Rev. James W. Finley, who was then 
on the Circuit, and was assisted by Rev. Henry Colclazer, then sta- 
tioned in Detroit. It will be seen, from these facts, that the Method- 
ists were the pioneers of Protestantism in this part of the country, 
although, after the war, the Presbyterian Church was instituted be- 
fore the reorganization of the Methodist Church, by a few months — 
although this is disputed by some of their own authorities. But the 
Methodist ministers were here, and doing what they could. 

The Society organized before the War of 1 8 1 2 was entirely 
scattered by that event, as it was most bloody and ruthless in this 
locality. But those days of blood and disaster have passed away, 
we hope never to return again to this locality. Sturgeon River was 
changed in name to the Raisin because of the vast quantities of 
grapes to be found along its banks, although sturgeon still abound. 
When the cloud of war had cleared away, the few inhabitants who 
had escaped from the slaughter began to enter upon their peaceful 
employments, and emigration was again directed hither. The storm 
had passed, and the time of the singing of birds had come, and the 
thoughts of the people were directed towards the services of religion 
as a source of comfort and elevation. 

The Presbyterian Church, it is said, was organized on the 13th 
day of January, 1820, under the labors of Rev. Moses Hunter, as- 
sisted by Rev. John Monteith, who was minister in Detroit. The 
Society embraced all the Protestant professors of religion belonging 
in the village and adjacent country. The articles of faith were so 
constructed as to admit of almost any one subscribing to them. This 
Church has always, since that day, maintained a strong hold on the 
public mind, and, by this same liberality of religious faith, have secured 
to membership many who were Methodists in sentiment. Many of 
the members have become wealthy. They built the first Protestant 
house of worship in this city and county, which was done in 183 1. It 
was a small brick building. 

The Methodist Church was reorganized, in the early part of 
1 82 1, by Rev. John P. Kent, as before stated, who was appointed to 
Detroit Circuit in 1820. The place of meeting, for the most part, 
was a little above the city, though Mr. Kent preached in the Court 
House a part of the time. Although the articles of faith of the 
sister Church were so liberal as to take in almost any one, they did 
not care to encourage ary other denomination. When Mr. Kent 
nxsr. came to Monroe, and preached in the Court House, at the close 



212 HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

of the service he stated that he was a stranger, and was appointed 
to preach on the Circuit, and he would be glad if some of them 
would offer him a place of entertainment. The congregation alt 
passed out without any one giving him such invitation. But Mrs.. 
Harvey, a widow lady, living a little out of the village, invited him to 
go to her house. The invitation was accepted. She was a member 
of the newly organized Presbyterian Church. The officers of that 
Church, having a great care for the interests of their widowed sister,, 
appointed a committee, who waited on her, a few days after, and re- 
monstrated with her for affording him shelter, stating that she would 
be ruined by it, they thought. But she thought otherwise. . This 
Was at a time when hay was very scarce, and they urged that his 
horse would consume her hay to her ruin. But she disregarded the 
remonstrance, and invited him to make his home at her house when- 
ever he had spare time, which he did, and she was not injured by it; 
for her hay, like the widow's meal, held out, as she told them it 
would. The good lady thought, as he was a man of God, and worthy 
of kind offices, she would continue to make him welcome at her 
house. She was rewarded in the conversion of a gay and thought- 
less daughter. A better feeling now exists. 

Monroe was made the head of a Circuit, that is, appears in the 
minutes of appointments of the ministers, first in 1826, and Rev. 
John A. Baughman was appointed to it. He was then a young^ 
man, full of ardent zeal for his Master's work. The Circuit then 
embraced all the settlements in Michigan south and west of Detroit, 
and extended into Ohio. It required strong nerves and warm zeal 
to travel it. But it was done, and the scattered settlements were 
visited and supplied with the Word of Life. Mr. Baughman was 
succeeded, in 1827, by Rev. George W. Walker, who labored for 
two successive years on this Circuit. Mr. Walker was a convert 
from Romanism ; was a man of a strong and vigorous mind, and 
had a large and healthy frame. He was well suited to the work, 
and labored with a good degree of success, but did not organize any 
Society in the village. This was an error ; the country members 
ought to have come to the village, and kept their organization in the 
town. 

Mr. Joseph C Garwood was converted through Mr. Walker's 
instrumentality, during the first year of his labor, but united with 
the Presbyterian Church, stating, at the same time, that he did not 
believe in their doctrines, and that, if there should be a Methodist 
Society organized in the village, he would wish to unite with it. At 
this time, through a mistaken policy, the Methodist Society held their 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 2 1 3 

Society meetings about two miles out of the village, because the 
principal part of the members resided in that neighborhood, and were 
well accommodated by that arrangement ; they had not learned the 
importance of concentrating their forces where the greatest number 
of people could be congregated. 

Mr. Walker was returned to Monroe for a second year, with the 
full expectation that his labors would be confined to the village ; for, 
towards the close of the previous year, a Dr. Adams, who was a 
member of the Methodist Church, had settled at Monroe, and was 
very desirous to have Mr. Walker returned, and to have it made 
into a Station, pledging himself for large things towards his support. 
The arrangements were made for a Station, and Mr. Walker was 
returned. The Conference then, as it did until 1837, met in Ohio, 
and Mr. Walker was absent for several weeks, during which time 
Dr. Adams went over to the Romish Church, so, when he returned, he 
found the plans had all been deranged. What influenced the Doctor 
to take that step we will leave the readers to determine for them- 
selves, and content ourself by saying that a very large proportion of 
the village and the surrounding country were of that faith. Patron- 
age is necessary for a physician's prosperity. In consequence of this 
change it became necessary for Mr. Walker to take in the Circuit, 
and postpone the establishment of the Church in the village. He 
served the Circuit faithfully and well, performing great labor, and 
enduring much privation, exposure and suffering for the sake of the 
cause. He was a man of a sound and deep Christian experience — 
confiding in the atonement — and of much resolute perseverance. 

We will take occasion, just here, to incorporate a little fuller 
notice of the experience and life of Mr. Walker, which we think will 
be quite acceptable. He was born in Maryland, November 26th, 
1804. His father being a Roman Catholic, he was baptized in that 
Church in his infancy, and was educated in that faith. His parents, 
with him, emigrated to Ohio in 18 10. Here, more out of curiosity 
than for any other reason, his father purchased a Bible, which was 
read, at first, in the same spirit of curiosity, and which resulted in the 
conversion of his father, then of his mother, and, finally, of the whole 
family. George was converted while young, and attached himself 
to the Methodist Church, and entered the itinerant ministry in 1826. 
He died in 1856, having been just thirty years in the active work of 
the Christian ministry. In relation to his labors in this country, the 
Official Minutes hold the following language : " Soon after his en- 
trance into the ministry, he was sent by the authorities of the Church 
to Michigan. Two years he spent in that new and distant Territory, 



2 1 4 HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

exposed to numberless perils and privations. The West has not, 
perhaps, opened a harder field of labor for an itinerant than Michi- 
gan at that period. But no swollen river, no dismal swamp, or 
dangerous fen could daunt the lion-heart that beat in the bosom of 
George W. Walker. He fulfilled his mission, and returned to Ohio." 
He was a laborious and useful man — a man of more than ordinary 
talents, and he commanded the respect and esteem of all who knew 
him ; and those who knew him best esteemed him most highly. He 
was honored by his conference with a seat in the General Conference 
for several sessions, and he occupied some of the most important 
Stations in the Ohio and Cincinnati Conferences. 

One so devoted to his Master's work, as was Mr. Walker, might 
be expected to find Divine consolation when he should be called to 
contend with the rising waters of death ; so, in his last sickness, he 
found religion to be a delightful support. He often adopted this 
prayer, "Create in me a clean heart, O God!" frequently adding that 
sweet stanza, 

" Take my poor heart, and let it be 
Forever closed to all but Thee; 
Seal Thou my breast, and let me wear 
That pledge of love forever there." 

He died, in great peace, in the fifty-second year of his age. 

There was a regular succession of ministers, without any special 
change in the aspect of things in the village — now city — of Monroe, 
until in February, 1832, when, under the labors of James W. Finley, 
assisted by Rev. H. Colclazer, then of Detroit, a very precious, 
though not very extensive revival occurred, and the Society became 
firmly established in the village. Several persons had settled here 
during the fall and winter, who were Methodists, and desired to be 
recognized as members of this Church. Now, Mr. Joseph C. Garwood 
immediately united with this Church, according to his declared pur- 
pose, at the time he united with the Presbyterian Church, about three 
years before. We add here a brief memoir of him. 

Mr. Garwood was a very quiet and unpretentious mechanic, but 
a man of good sound sense and consistent piety. By industry at the 
anvil and good economy he acquired a handsome property, and 
became, pecuniarly, a very important factor in the Church. He was 
a faithful Christian, attending very constantly on the social meetings 
of the Church, and contributing of his influence for the advancement 
of the cause. He died of the cholera, July 12th, 1854, and has gone 
to receive his rest in Heaven. He was a faithful mechanic and 
Christian, but has been called by the Great Master from the labors 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 2 1 5 

of earth to the refreshments of the Heavenly Home. The accession 
of Mr. Garwood to the Church at this time, he being a permanent 
citizen, may be regarded as the real beginning of the permanent 
establishment of the Methodist Church in the place. Most of the 
other men, who helped to compose the Church here, were rather 
migratory, and did not add very much to their ability to maintain 
the Gospel. They were willing enough to sustain the interests of 
the Church, but they were poor as well as migratory. They did what 
they could, but he could do and did more than they. When Mr. 
Garwood deceased, he left a wife and eight children, three sons and 
five daughters. One of the daughters has since become the wife of a 
missionary, and has gone to Peking, China. 

At the time James W. Finley was sent to this Circuit — 1830 — 
it extended from Defiance, in Ohio, to Tecumseh and Adrian, requir- 
ing vast labor and exposure to accomplish the rounds on it, but he 
persevered, for two years, through all difficulties — though the Circuit 
was much diminished the second year. He was a man of a thorough 
Christian experience, and he was fired with an ardent zeal for the sal- 
vation of the people. These elements in his character led him to brave 
the most formidable difficulties, to perform his assigned work. In a 
Circuit so extensive as his was the first year, one break in the chain 
of appointments must occasion several, hence, whatever might be 
the condition of the unbridged streams, he felt he must go. On one 
occasion, being at Fort Defiance, and having his chain of appoint- 
ments, extending off into Michigan, to meet, he determined to go, 
notwithstanding the Auglaze River, which he had to cross, was high 
and the ice very unsafe to cross on, he set forward on horseback ; 
but, before he reached the opposite shore, the ice gave way, and let 
them both into. the deep water, where they remained for two hours 
or more, struggling for life, until both nearly perished with cold. 
When he finally reached the shore, there was no human habitation 
near, where he could find shelter. Wet and cold, as he was, he had 
to set out on an Indian trail. After some time he came to a Potta- 
watamie wigwam, where the squaw afforded him such help and com- 
fort as she could. He and his horse must have perished had it not 
been for this kind relief. These exposures and labors were too much 
for his physical condition, and, towards the close of his second year, 
his health failed. He went into Ohio and then into Kentucky, but 
never fully recovered from the shock of these years. 

Rev. James W. Finley, nephew of Rev. James B. Finley, was 
born in Ohio, December 24th, 1800. He was converted to God 
while young, and, in the twenty-second year of his age, he gave him- 



2 I 6 HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

self up fully to the work of the ministry. He was possessed of very 
respectable preaching abilities and of such amiability of character as 
to endear him to all who knew him. His intense and extensive 
labors prostrated him, and brought him to his grave prematurely. 
He died in June, 1838. In regard to the closing period of his life, 
we find the following notes in the Official Minutes : " In the midst of 
great sufferings, God sustained him ; and, when gasping for breath, 
he would say, ' What peace I feel !' To his weeping mother and 
family he exclaimed, just as he expired, ' Oh! how precious the Lord 
is to my soul ! Glory! Glory!' ' He has gone, but his works fol- 
low him. 

Mr. Finley was succeeded, in 1832, by Elijah H. Pilcher and 
Einathan C. Gavit, and it was still a four-week's Circuit, and they 
preached in Monroe only every other Sabbath. They occupied the 
Court House still. The next year, that is, in the autumn of 1833, 
the extent of the field was diminished, and it was so arranged as to 
have preaching in Monroe every Sabbath, and E. H. Pilcher and 
William Sprague were appointed to it. They were both single, and, 
in order to carry out the plan of supply, they hired a room in the 
Court House, at their own charges, and lodged there when in the 
village, there being no place among the members where they could 
find a home. This plan they carried out for one half of the year. 
The Lord revived His work to some extent, and a considerable 
accession of strength to the Church occurred. During this year 
preliminary steps were taken towards building a church. Trustees 
were appointed, and a religious incorporation was created, and 
a lot contracted for, and an interest on the subject created ; but 
the Church was not built, or completed, until 1838, under the min- 
istry of James F. Davidson, who was in the Station, for it had been 
created a Station, and under his labors a very precious revival of 
religion occurred, which added considerable strength to the Church 
In the meantime, several Methodist families had settled here, as Hon 
Ira Mayhew, Julius D. Morton, and some other families. 

The Protestant Episcopal Church was organized in 1831. Rev, 
John O'Brien made the following entry in the Parish Register: "I 
took charge of Trinity Church, Monroe, Michigan, in December, 
1 83 1, at which period there were only three persons who could be 
considered communicants." It was then, and continued to be for 
several years after, a Mission Station. They erected a small, neat 
church in 1832. They have increased, and now have a fine stone 
church. * 

A small Baptist Church was organized in 1833, but was dis- 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 21 7 

banded in a few years. They, however, have reorganized, but, for 
some reason, have not become strong. A German Lutheran Church 
was established for the benefit of the large number of Germans who 
had settled here, and they have increased so that a second church 
has been established. 

It is proper to introduce a brief notice of one living minister, 
who was connected with the work in this city, and, though he has 
supplied many appointments, and has had many revivals, there seems 
to us to be no place more appropriate to introduce him than this. 
We refer to Rev. James F. Davidson, than whom there is no man 
who has been more faithful and true to his work, never having failed 
to respond to his name at roll-call at Conference since he first 
entered the itinerancy in 1831, and never having failed to take and 
supply an appointment since that time ; and to-day appears as vigor- 
ous and able to work in the ministry as he ever was. 

Mr. Davidson was descended from Irish parents, and was born 
on the ocean, on the passage over, in 18 10. His father settled in 
Ohio, in the vicinity of Cincinnati, where our subject was brought up. 
He was converted to God in his youth, and joined the Methodist 
Episcopal Church. Feeling himself called to the work of the minis- 
try, he was admitted to the Ohio Conference, on trial, in 1831, and 
was appointed to the Oxford Circuit, in the Miami District, in Ohio. 
The next year, 1832, he was appointed to Tecumseh Circuit, in 
Michigan. He has remained in Michigan ever since, filling Circuits, 
Stations, and Districts. He was appointed to Monroe Station in 
September, 1836, and continued for two years. It was during this 
time that he had the revival before mentioned. At the end of his 
term, he reported one hundred and twelve members for the city. This 
was the first report for the city as separated from the Circuit. The 
next year, that is, 1838, he was appointed to Coldwater Circuit, on 
which he had a very gracious revival, and many members were added 
to the Church in the Village of Coldwater. In 1841, he was appointed 
Presiding Elder of the Kalamazoo District, which he worked efficient- 
ly for four years. He has always been a man of industry in his work, 
and has been the means of bringing great numbers of people into 
Church. He has served the Church for forty-six consecutive years, 
without any interruption for any cause, and bids fair to continue so 
for many years to come. 

The Presbyterian Church has become very numerous, having a 
fine and valuable Church property; and the Methodist Church has 
built, on the same old lot, a large and very beautiful Church, with all 



2l8 HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

the conveniences and appliances for Sabbath School and other Church 
work. 

The English-speaking denominations are numerically, according 
to the reports for 1876, as follows: Presbyterians, 262; Protestant 
Episcopalians, 85 ; Methodists, 1 60 ; Baptists, 98. 

St. Clair is the next place to be considered as it appears on 
our Minutes of the Conferences. It was first placed in the list of 
appointments in 1824, and was supplied from the Genesee Confer- 
ence this year. The Canada Conference was created by authority 
of the General Conference of 1824, and St. Clair was included in 
that Conference for 1825, but, in 1826, it was included in the Ohio 
Conference, and was called a Mission. It surely could not have re- 
ceived much support from the Missionary Society. As it was used 
at this date, the name did not signify any particular locality, but the 
country watered by that noble river. The principal points in the 
Circuit was the settlement opposite the upper end of Walpole Island, 
known then as Point de Chaine, but since known as Algonac. 
There was a small settlement at Belle River, now known as Marine 
City, and one, a little farther up, at Pine River, where the City of St. 
Clair now stands, and another, still farther up, at Black River, now 
the City of Port Huron. 

Although this is the first appearance of the name in our 
Minutes, it was not the beginning of the work, as it had been visited 
as early as 181 7, and continued to be visited by ministers, occasion- 
ally, from that time forward, both from Canada and from the Detroit 
Circuit, and classes were organized. We have been furnished with 
an exact copy of a class-paper, which bears date December 20th, 
1824, which has the following on one side, and the names of the mem- 
bers on the other: " Class-paper for the 2d class on the St. Clair 
river. John K. Smith, Leader. Wm, GrirTes, Jr., Preacher." This 
shows tfie method of keeping our Church records, in most Circuits, 
in those days. The class-paper, above-referred to, contains the fol- 
lowing names, viz : John K. Smith, leader ; Charlotte Smith, Charles 
Phillips, Derutia Phillips, Catherine Harrow, George Harrow, Mary 
Grummond, Jacob G. Streite, Sarah Robeson, Rachel Ward ; and 
then, near the bottom, separated from the rest, is this, included in 
brackets, " Colored, Harry Sanders." There are eleven members at 
that date. How long the Society had existed, prior to this date, we 
have not been able to ascertain ; but it had existed ; for on the paper 
it shows that a class-meeting was held on the 19th of December, and 
the attendance of the members is marked, and several of the mem- 
bers are marked as absent, which would not have been the case if the 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 219 

Society, or Church, had been first organized on that day. The So- 
ciety was located at what is now Algonac. 

Mr. Smith was the most prominent man in the community at 
that time and for many years after. It was our pleasure to make 
his acquaintance, first, in February, when we attended Quarterly 
Meeting there in company with Rev. James Gilruth, who was the 
Presiding Elder. That acquaintance was renewed in 1842, when we 
were appointed in charge of Detroit District, which still included 
this part of the country. We found him to be a man of ability and 
piety, and a decided Methodist. He was a very worthy Christian 
gentleman. He died in peace, after having served the Church faith- 
fully, for many years, as class-leader and trustee and Circuit steward. 

We have also in our possession a copy of a subscription-paper 
for building a church at this place. The paper and the subscriptions 
are interesting. The paper runs thus : 

" We, the undersigned, do agree to pay to a committee that 
may be appointed by the Methodist Episcopal Church, the sums by 
us subscribed, for the purpose of building a Methodist meeting- 
house at or near Point de Chaine, to be paid when called upon. 
January 10th, A. D., 1830." The subscription ranges from one 
dollar up to twenty, except a few items of shingles and lumber, de- 
scribed by the amount and not by the price. We find these two 
items, which are interesting as showing the spirit of the times, viz : 
"Laura Graham, $1.25, in sewing. Lucretia Peer, $1.25, in short 
stockings. Paid." There is one subscription of fifty cents, which is 
the only one below one dollar. 

The house was erected and enclosed, but never finished. They 
managed the best they could with it for about twelve years, when a 
new one was built and finished, and was dedicated in 1843. Mr. 
Smith managed the financial part of the matter in both cases. This 
last was enlarged, and finally substituted by a larger and more val- 
uable one. 

Rev. James T. Donahoo was appointed to St. Clair, in 1826, 
from the Ohio Conference. He found everything in a disorganized 
state, as it had been left without a supply the previous year, and 
there was no return of members, neither was there any plan fur- 
nished him. He had to search out the places, and organize every- 
thing. He attended to his work faithfully, and, at the next Confer- 
ence he reported thirty members. How many members he had to 
begin with we have no means of knowing, and, consequently, we 
have no means of determining the progress of the work this year. 
The Circuit, embracing all the coast settlements, continued to be 



2 20 HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

known by this name until 1838, when it was diminished in extent by 
the creation of the Port Huron Circuit, and the name was changed 
to Palmer for a few years. It Jias since been trimmed down, so that 
the charge of that name is confined to the City of St. Clair. 

We here furnish a few facts relating to Rev. James T. Donahoo. 
He was admitted into the traveling connection by the Ohio Confer- 
ence in 1 82 1, consequently he had considerable experience at this 
itime. He was a man of respectable talents and good social habits, 
sprinkled a little with oddity and Irish wit — for he was of Irish de- 
scent, and possessed, to some considerable extent, the proverbial 
loquacity. He labored in Michigan only this one year, and returned 
to Ohio. He continued in the itinerant work until 1848, when he 
located. 

Although St. Clair appears in the Minutes of appointments from 
and after 1824, the number of members increased very slowly, so that, 
in 1840, there were only one hundred and seventy-eight members 
reported for all this country. There were two reasons for this slow 
growth ; one was found in the face of the country. Back from the 
river the land was level, and not well adapted to agriculture, so the 
settlements progressed slowly. The other reason was in the char- 
acter and occupation of the people. They were mostly poor, and 
not disposed to religion, and were occupied in lumbering, fishing, 
boating and hunting — employments not conducive to piety specially. 
Societies had been established at Algonac, Newport, now Marine 
City, at St. Clair, sometimes called Palmer, and at Port Huron, but 
they were all feeble, and found it very difficult to support ministers. 

St. Clair, at the Conference of 1827, was left to be supplied. 
The supposition is, the Presiding Elder found some local preacher 
who could do the work that year, or, possibly, no one was found to 
fill it, as there was no report of members at the next Conference. 
But the next year, that is, at the Conference of 1828 — Elias Pattee, 
a very zealous pioneer, was appointed to it, and reported forty-nine 
members at the end of the year. Mr. Pattee was succeeded, in 1829, 
by Samuel A. Latta, who reported ninety-five membess at the Con- 
ference of 1830. This field was so separated from the other settled 
portions of the country that it was a kind of exile to go to it, and it 
required men of faith and courage to go to it and work it; but such 
men were found, still it was too much to ask them to do this kind of 
work for more than one year at a time. 

We will take the liberty to introduce here a brief notice of Mr. 
Latta and an incident connected with this work. Rev. Samuel A. 
Latta was a healthy, stout, energetic man, and did his work well. 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 22T 

He was a physician by profession, and left that for the ministry,, 
under the impression that he was called of God to this work. He 
was admitted to the Ohio Conference in 1829, and this was his first 
appointment. It was a pretty hard experience to begin with. He 
was a man of talents, and capable of wielding a strong influence for 
the cause of religion. His labors, after leaving Michigan, having 
remained here but one year, were mostly in the vicinity of Cincin- 
nati, Ohio. In the division of the Church, and the organization of 
the Methodist Episcopal Church South, growing out of the question: 
of slavery, he sympathized with the South, and united with that 
Church in 1846. He has since died. 

The following, taken from the Ladies' Repository for 1844, 
written by Rev. Bishop Hamline, from the facts as related to him by 
Dr. Latta, the young man referred to, will be read with great inter- 
est in this connection, as giving a good description of some of the 
difficulties encountered in preaching the Gospel along the St Clair 
River. 

A NIGHT ON THE LAKE. 

11 Perils await thee hour by hour — 
Tempt not the deep alone/' 

In 1829, a young man just then admitted into the Ohio Confer- 
ence, was appointed to a domestic mission, which embraced the 
borders of civilization in the northern part of Michigan Territory. 
In such a climate where deep snow and extreme cold are com- 
panions of all the winter months, it was a severe service to travel 
amongst the few new settlers, whose rude log cabins were thinly 
scattered over an extensive forest region. These frequent and 
formidable obstacles interrupted the traveler in his progress. Many 
creeks and rivers were to be crossed, and at that time bridges were 
very rare. Our young missionary had a vigorous constitution, great 
muscular energy, and a purpose of soul in his Master's service which 
led him to look at the labors and exposures of his appointed field 
widi a good degree of resolute composure. 

He accomplished the service assigned him to the satisfaction of 
all concerned ; but, at that early date, his physical condition, strong 
as it was, suffered a blow from which it never recovered. He con- 
tinued for several years, under much embarrassment from feeble 
health, to occupy more pleasant fields of labor, until, at the early age 
of thirty-five, he was compelled to take his station amongst the 
superannuated, without the least prospect of being restored to active 
work. 



22 2 HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

Amongst the trials of that year, several of which, as we have 
heard him state them, would compare with the experiences of our 
venerable fathers in the primitive days of Methodism, we select the 
following, which is romantic in its features, and threatened a tragic 
consummation. Its moral purpose is to illustrate, convincingly, the 
care of Providence over blind, helpless and distressed mortals. 

The field of this young man's labors bordered on Lake St. Clair. 
His rides extended northward, also, on the American shore of the 
strait which connects that smaller body of water with Lake Huron. 
Some time during the year he had occasion to sail down the former 
lake, along its western shore. As he was going aboard the schooner 
in which he had taken passage, some of his acquaintances asked 
permission to place under his protection three ladies who were bound 
for the same point. They set sail. Toward evening the captain of 
the vessel resolved to " lie to " during the night. He chose to 
anchor off the mouth of Clinton River, about a mile distant from the 
shore. 

The passengers, of whom there were several, noticed a dark 
cloud resting on the horizon ; and, from all observable portents, they 
were led to expect a severe thunder-gust. Deeming the position of 
the vessel unfavorable to endure a heavy blow, they became solicit- 
ous to get on shore. A short distance above the mouth of the river, 
on its banks, was a comfortable inn. It was finally determined to 
employ one of the schooner's hands to row them into the estuary, 
and land them near the tavern. The boat was accordingly lowered ; 
but several boorish gentlemen, who had no ladies in their company 
to care for, ungallantly leaped in till it was fully laden, and secured 
the first trip, leaving the missionary, Mr. L[atta], and the ladies with 
two strange gentlemen, to take their chance afterward. 

Before the return of the boat it began to be quite dark ; and 
Mr. L[atta] became somewhat anxious lest the waterman, a garrulous 
Frenchman, should not be able to strike the mouth of the river. He 
was assured, however, with Galic volubility and positiveness, that 
there was no difficulty. Taking counsel of their fears, as the threat- 
ening cloud now spread over the heavens, and the lightning began 
to play on the surface of the lake, they trusted themselves to his 
pilotage, and launched forth. 

Thick darkness shut in upon them suddenly. The Frenchman 
rowed with might and main, as was supposed, towards the shore. 
But when it was certain that he must have run the skiff far enough 
to have reached the landing place, there were yet no tokens of land. 
The whole company became uneasy, and hurriedly inquired if he 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 223 

was not wrong ; but he assured and re-assured them that he must 
be right, and resolutely propelled the boat so much the faster to 
convince them and himself that they were safe. Mr. L[atta] finally 
warned him that the water was certainly getting deeper. Upon this, 
after considering a little, the pilot himself became alarmed, and 
finally announced that they were lost. 

Lost ! What a sound was that in the circumstances which sur- 
rounded them ! At first they could not realize their condition. But 
the quick-thoughted missionary soon perceived the imminency, or at 
least the extent of their exposure. He recollected that when they 
dropped off from the vessel a light shone from the window of the 
tavern, which he supposed would be the pilot's guide toward the 
estuary. But now — whether by moving a lamp, or closing a blind, 
or whether (which was probable enough) by the intervention of a 
bluff, or a forest — no light could any longer be seen. In consider- 
ing the probability of missing their course, if they had bethought 
themselves to secure a stationary light on the deck of the schooner, 
to guide their return in case of such misadventure, all would have 
been well. But they had forgotten that, and were forlorn of such 
comforting resorts. 

[So the sinner, in the midst of probationary means, urged by 
friends, warned by Providence, and drawn by the Holy Spirit, too 
often declines a preparation for the voyage. While near the cross, 
and at liberty to apply its cleansing blood, and set up in his soul the 
light of devotion enkindled there by the ever-blessed Spirit, he dis- 
regards the necessity of this wise provision. In the midst of this 
forgetfulness death overtakes him. Stretched helpless on his uneasy 
couch, he begins at length to look around. This is to him a new 
point of observation ; and, O how it changes the aspects of sur- 
rounding scenes ! He is now on the ocean's shore. Its waters are 
seen to be a boundless waste, and its surface, vexed by the fury of 
the untempered storm, presents a scene most appalling to the soul. 
Just launching forth on this sea of terrors, night closes in upon him. 
The heavens are vailed in gathering clouds, which seem blended with 
sin-avenging wrath! It is the wrath of dread Omnipotence pro- 
voked by years of crucifying scorn poured upon the long-suffering 
Redeemer of mankind. He feels that it must be unrelenting wrath, 
because it falls on an unrepenting victim. He looks once more 
towards the cross ; but it recedes. No star of hope remains. He 
exclaims, in husky tones, " There is no help!" At length his voice is 
hushed, and his eyes are fixed in staring ghastliness. While the 
signals of distress are hung out on every feature, expiring tremors 



2 24 HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

seize his frame — he groans despair, and dies. All else is hell."] 
Let us fancy now, as nearly as we are able, the condition of the 
missionary and his charge. The clouds had, by this time, spread 
over the zenith, and covered the face of the heavens. The wind was 
tempestuous. The short, broken billows of the lake began to toss 
themselves angrily into every shape of danger. The livid lightning- 
ever and anon turned the thick darkness into a momentary blaze,, 
which, instead of revealing, as they hoped it might, the ship or the 
shore, only gave them a glance of the surrounding terrors, and im- 
pressed on them more deeply than the boldest imagination could 
have done, the appalling horror of their state. The rain fell in tor- 
rents, and a conflict seemed to transpire, in which the elements above 
strove fiercely and wildly with the elements beneath. Then, truly,, 
"deep called unto deep at the noise of His water-spouts. " One thing 
only could be added to increase the terror of the scene, and that was 
not long wanting. The Frenchman proved to be a most profane 
wretch; and though he might have been, at first, somewhat cowered 
by the discovery of his novel and sad condition, yet, gathering either 
courage or despair, as the perils thickened around them, he began to- 
utter horrid oaths and imprecations, and, thenceforward became 
furious and flagitious in his blasphemies in proportion as the dangers 
multiplied. This is a picture of the hardening influence of sin. Pro- 
crastinators often encourage themselves with the hope of being 
urged to Christ by the near approach of death. Such an one re- 
cently died in this vicinity [Cincinnati], uttering this, among several 
death-bed imprecations, " I feel as though I could curse Jesus Christ 
from His throne!' 

It soon became necessary to point the boat's bow so as to cross,, 
if possible, the fitful waves, and propel her, in some direction, amidst 
the raging of the storm. The glare of the lightning, therefore, be- 
came of great importance ; for it enabled the poor Frenchman, whose 
task was now a serious one, to hold the slender craft to what he 
judged the safest point. It employed his utmost skill and energy to 
avoid the troughs of the sea, and to move forward so as to reduce the 
chances of swamping, in which they were, every moment, in great 
danger. This wicked man labored incessantly at the oar for four 
weary hours, more or less, and all that time none could form the least 
conjecture which way they were sailing, whether parallel with the 
shore, inclining towards it, or (as they ultimately judged most proba- 
ble) out into the stormy bosom of the lake. At length, after suffering 
no little apprehension on his own account, as well as for his fellow- 
passengers (and, most of all, for those affrighted females who had 



HISTORY OF. PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 2 25 

been committed to his protection, and whom it became his duty to 
encourage by suggestions which scarcely sustained his own hope of 
deliverance) Mr. L. insisted that an attempt must be made to change 
their course. They had sailed far enough, as he believed, to prove 
that they were not approaching the shore at an inclination which 
promised them relief; and, although the danger of "coining about" 
was extreme, he urged it as affording the only chance of escape. 
After much demurring, the effort was made. By the mercy of Provi- 
dence it succeeded. They endeavored, on their new tack, not ex- 
actly to reverse their former course, but, diverging from it as far as 
the running waves would permit, they called into requisition all the 
strength that remained in the now exhausted oarsman, and pushed 
ahead. 

About midnight they perceived, from the tokens of shallow 
water, that they must be nearing land ; and not long afterwards the 
suffering females, drenched in the rain and spray, almost senseless 
through fear, were conveyed, in a helpless condition, to the shore, 
which they reached five miles below the mouth of the river, where 
the schooner was at anchor. The gentlemen themselves, who in 
turns engaged in unlading the boat of the water she took from 
the dashing of the waves, were far enough from suffering no ex- 
haustion, yet, unlike the ladies, they were able to stand and walk. 
On calculating, as nearly as they could, the courses they sailed 
and the time they were lost, the conclusion was, the boat had 
pushed out seven or eight miles from the shore. Reviewing all 
the circumstances, it appeared to them a special providence that 
the skiff had not only been kept adrift, but, (what was still more 
admirable), that in the tossings and alarms of so dark and stormy 
a night, none so far lost their presence of mind as to miss their 
hold, and plunge into the sea. 

The next day these sufferers were restored to the comforts 
and fellowships of life, but were soon separated, to meet, if not 
before, at the judgment seat of Christ, where the blasphemous 
Frenchman, the two strangers, the suffering females, and the mis- 
sionary who strove to cheer and comfort them in danger, all merci- 
fully preserved by an interposing Providence, will appear, to 
render their last account, and receive their final doom. 

We will add that Mr. L. closed this narrative in some such 
words as the following : " Even to this late hour, as often as mem- 
ory wanders back to that night of raging tempests, and dwells 
upon its scenes of unimaginable horror, my heart sinks within me, 
and my blood seems almost to curdle in my veins." 



226 HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

How significant are the following familiar lines in connection 
with the narrative : 

"Ones on the raging seas I rode, 

The storm was loud — the night was dark, 
The ocean yawned — and rudely blow'd 

The wind, that toss'd my found'ring bark ; 
Deep horror then my vitals froze. 

Death-struck, I ceased the tide to stem ; 
When suddenly a star arose — 

It was the star of Bethlehem. 

" It was my guide, my light, my all — 

It bade my dark forbodings cease ; 
And through the storm and danger's thrall, 

It led me to the port of peace. 
Now safely moor'd, my perils o'er, 

I'll sing, first in night's diadem, 
Forever and forever more, 

The star — the star of Bethlehem." 

We have given the foregoing article in full because it is both 
interesting and profitable to read. 

The circumstances which led to sending a Methodist missionary 
to the St. Clair country, in 1826, were these : Presbyterian mission- 
aries had been sent there, from time to time, who had had little suc- 
cess among the people, and the appointment having been left by 
the Canada Conference, some gentlemen on the river having had 
some information in regard to the influence of Methodism in reform- 
ing men, wrote to Rev. William Simmons, stationed at Detroit, and 
having charge of Detroit District, requesting a Methodist preacher 
to be sent to them, and pledging fifty dollars towards his support. 
The gentlemen, whose names Mr. Simmons is not now able to 
recall, stated that they had received a favorable impression with 
regard to the influence of Methodist preachers, and stated that 
their Sabbaths were spent in horse-racing, drinking, gambling, and 
other demoralizing practices ; and that they felt an interest in the 
religious welfare of the people. The letters were laid before the 
Bishop at the Conference in 1826; fifty dollars were appropri- 
ated from the Missionary Society, and Rev. James T. Donahoo 
was sent, as before stated, who labored, and gathered a few mem- 
bers. The people said to those in authority in the Church tha*; he 
accomplished more in one year, at a cost of only fifty dollars to 
the Missionary Society, than the Presbyterian ministers had done 
in the same region, at an expense of twelve thousand dollars. Mr. 
Simmons states that he was told this on what he considered good 
authority. This application to Mr. Simmons for a preacher was made 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 2 2/ 

in the summer of 1826. It is no wonder that even irreligious men 
often desire to have religious services in the place where they reside, 
as a matter of self-protection, for there is such a reforming power in 
the Gospel of Christ that even those who do not become experi- 
mental Christians are elevated and improved by it. The statement 
of those gentlemen as to the character and practices of the people, 
furnishes a reason for the slow progress of the Church in this region. 
But, notwithstanding the difficulties, the Church made progress, and 
triumphed over many obstacles. 

We state with pleasure that other denominations have estab- 
lished Churches at all the chief points along the river, as Presbyteri- 
ans, Baptists, Congregationalists, though the last, according to a plan 
of union, were included in Presbyterian Churches, until 1842, and 
Protestant Episcopalians. 

In what was originally St. Clair Circuit, there are now thirteen 
charges — Methodists — supplied with ministers, embracing 1,600 mem- 
bers, having fine and valuable churches. The Presbyterians, finally, 
all became Congregationalists, and they number 385 members. 
The Protestant Episcopalians number 141, exclusive of Port Huron, 
which was organized in 1840, and probably, numbers about 100 
members at the present time. The Baptists number 296 members. 
These numbers are taken from the statistical reports for 1876. 

In the meantime there has been a great change in the country. 
The forests have been cleared away; roads have been made and 
improved; railroads have been constructed; farms have been opened 
and cultivated ; the rude log house has given place to frame and 
brick; school-houses have been erected and occupied, and Christian 
civilization has been advanced ; villages have been created and two 
flourishing cities have grown up, where, then, there were only the lum- 
berman's rude camps. It is pleasant to contemplate that Christianity 
has kept pace, at least, with the increase of population. The power 
of Christianity is felt and acknowledged. 

Ann Arbor has assumed such importance that it will justify a 
brief history or sketch of the place before writing its religious his- 
tory. Ann Arbor — what is it, and where is it? It is the county 
seat of Washtenaw County, situated on the Huron River, about forty 
miles west from Detroit. It is an incorporated city and the seat of 
the Michigan University. It is well laid out, and tastefully and 
beautifully ornamented with trees, shrubs, and gardens. It is a most 
beautiful, healthful, and inviting town, surrounded by a rich and well 
cultivated farming country. But it is not purposed now to write 
any more of its topography and history than is necessary to give a 



2 28 HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

general idea of the place. The first location or purchase of land 
from the General Government was made in February, 1824, by John 
Allen, Esq. He associated with him Mr. Walker Rumsey. They 
brought their families here the same year. They immediately laid 
out a village, and, in honor of their wives, they named it Ann Arbor 
— for Mrs. Allen's name was Ann, and Mrs. Rumsey's was Mary 
Ann. The Arbor part of the name was suggested by the beautiful 
grove of burr oaks which stood upon the spot. Some of the oaks 
still remain as ornaments and witnesses of the past. Christianity 
was early introduced, or, rather, in its services it nearly came with 
the people, for the first settlers had hardly become established in 
their new and rude habitations before the minister of the Lord Jesus 
presented himself, and offered them the Bread of Life. 

Rev. John A. Baughman, then in his youth and the vigor of his 
Christian ministry, was appointed to Detroit Circuit, which embraced 
all the settlements in Michigan outside of the city, in 1825. Some 
time in November of that year he visited Ann Arbor, and stopped 
with Colonel Allen, father of John Allen, Esq., lately come from 
Virginia, and preached in his house. The family were not Meth- 
odists, but they received the messenger of peace with all gladness, 
and entertained him hospitably. He remained several days, and 
preached every evening. This was the first introduction of religious 
services into this place. The Circuit was so extensive that he could 
not make this place a regular appointmentment, especially as there 
were no members of the Methodist Church residing here. In the 
spring of 1826, Rev. William Simmons, who was stationed in Detroit, 
and had charge of Detroit District, visited Ann Arbor, and preached 
for them. After the visit of Mr. Baughman, reading meetings were 
established as a substitute for preaching, until they could secure the 
services of the living minister, which they did in 1826. 

The first Christian Church organized in Ann Arbor was Pres- 
byterian. It was constituted, August 21st, 1826, by Rev. Noah M. 
Wells acting as Moderator, and Rev. Ira Dunning, acting as Secre- 
tary. It consisted, at the time, of seventeen members. Rev. William 
Page, a Presbyterian minister, who had come here to reside, not 
intending to devote himself entirely to the ministry, was employed 
as their first minister, as a stated supply. 

In the spring of 1827, a Mr. Brown, who had two daughters — 
young ladies, who were Methodists, settled here. On their way out 
from Detroit, these young ladies found a newspaper containing a 
notice of a Camp Meeting, signed by Z. H. Coston, Presiding El^er, 
which was to be held in the vicinity of Detroit. They immediately 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 2 29 

addressed a note to Mr. Coston requesting him to send some one to 
preach and organize a Methodist Society or Church. In compliance 
with this request, Mr. Coston directed Mr. Baughman, who was in 
charge of Monroe Citcuit, to visit Ann Arbor again, and if practica- 
ble to organize a Society, and to supply them with preaching. Mr. 
Baughman came, and on the 29th day of July, 1827, organized a 
Society consisting of Eber White, Harvey Kinney, Hannah B. 
Brown, Rebecca G. Brown and Calvin Smith. Mr. Smith was only 
a transient person, but gave his name to help form the class, and 
never met with them but once after that day. This was a small be- 
ginning, still it was equal to the first Methodist Society formed on 
this continent, and God was in the movement. This place was made 
an appointment in the Monroe Circuit for the first half of the next 
year, beginning in September, 1827, and George W. Walker was 
the preacher, but for the last half of the year, it was included in 
Detroit Circuit, John Janes was the preacher. But in 1828 a new 
Circuit was organized called Huron, which included Ann Arbor, and 
it so continued for the next year. Not one of these original mem- 
bers now remains here. Eber White was the last one. He resided 
on a farm just a little west of the village, and occupied the same 
farm till his death, which occurred but recently. He was a very 
quiet, good man. Harvey Kinney was a young man in the family 
of Esquire Brown, and did not remain long. Hannah B. Brown, a 
young lady of deep and earnest piety, of a strong and well cultiva- 
ted mind, in a little over a year united her fortunes and labors with 
Rev. John Janes. Soon after her marriage with Mr. Janes she re- 
moved with her husband to Ohio, and shared with him for many 
years, the privations and responsibilities of an itinerant life. Well 
was she qualified for the post, and well and faithfully did she per- 
form her part while he lived, and survived him, still to do good and 
bless the Church for several years. 

Mrs. Janes was converted at her home in the State of New 
York, in 1825, and immediately connected herself with the Method- 
ist Church. She did this at a time when it required some courage to 
do so. Her father was a professed Universalist, and her mother 
was a member of the Presbyterian Church, and a very good woman. 
She was glad to have her daughter pious, and was not very particu- 
lar as to what Church she should be united with. The young lady 
herself was very decided in her Methodistic predilections. The 
Methodist doctrines and usages pleased her ; especially the doctrine 
of entire consecration and holiness. She very beautifully exempli- 



23O HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

fied in her life, " the beauty of holiness," and by her life as well as 
by her words, commended it to others. 

Rebecca G. Brown, a younger sister, was a young lady of much 
more than ordinary intellectual ability, and had enjoyed good advan- 
tages for mental culture, for the times. These cultivated powers 
she consecrated to God on the altar of religion under the Methods 
istic form. She was brought to experience the renewing grace of 
God at a meeting near Middleport, New York, in 1826. She conse- 
crated her whole soul to the work, and shortly after her conversion^ 
she found by happy experience, that " the blood of Jesus Christ 
cleanseth from all sin," and like her sister, became a strong advo- 
cate for Christian purity. Under the influence of such an experi- 
ence she became a very active and useful member of the Methodist 
Episcopal Church. She felt herself fully identified with the interests 
and fortunes of the Church. The class and prayer meetings were 
her delight, and to labor in the Sabbath School afforded food to her 
soul. Her activity occasionally provoked the censure of the inactive, 
because it was a standing reproof to them. When in the congrega- 
tion her very presence was an inspiration to the minister, because 
she was such an attentive and interested hearer, and because her 
soul was so absorbed in fervent prayer for the success of the 
Word. She had engaged herself to share the fortunes and trials of 
a young and active itinerant preacher — Rev. L. D. Whitney — but 
before the nuptials were celebrated, she was stricken down by the 
hand of death — was called by her Heavenly Father from labor 
to reward. She died in great peace and holy triumph, May 8th, 
1834. Her dust sleeps in the cemetery at Ann Arbor. 

The first Methodist prayer meeting here was held very soon 
after the organization of the Church in 1827 Harvey Kinney, 
Hannah B. Brown, Rebecca G. Brown, and Lemuel Brown a lad 
about twelve years of age and a brother of the two sisters, and not 
then a professor of religion, but since a member and local preacher, 
were the only persons present. The second was attended by about 
the same number of persons. But these young persons were deci- 
ded, though not bigoted Methodists, advocating with calm dignity, 
the duty of Christians to love God with all their hearts, and so per- 
severed in their work that God gave them success. Sarah J. Brown, 
another of the same family, was the first person converted here 
through Methodist labors, and the first person who joined the Church 
on trial. She joined the Church on trial, in February, 1828, and ex- 
perienced an evidence of pardon in May, following. She, probably, 
was the first person converted in the town and the first to join a 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 23 I 

Church on profession of faith. She became very active and devoted 
in the cause. Having a ready flow of language, she generally took 
an active part in social meetings. She was never possessed of very 
robust health, but her health so failed that she was for many years 
confined to her bed, and lingered as a monument of God's abound- 
ing grace. She was confined to her room, and mostly to her bed for 
twenty years, but all this time she rejoiced in God and suffered with- 
out a murmur. 

The Circuit was so arranged in 1827, as to supply preaching 
here once in two weeks on the Sabbath ; and continued so till 1833, 
when it was made into what was called a half station. A part of the 
time it was supplied with only one and a part of the time with two 
preachers. When it was made a half station it was supplied with 
two preachers, and it was so arranged that one of them should be in 
the village every Sabbath, that is, they rotated so as that one of 
them should be here two successive Sabbaths, and the other for the 
same length of time. This arrangement continued for two years, 
when it was made a full station. 

The Society received considerable accession of strength in the 
spring of 1828, by the coming in of Christopher Gee and his family, 
he himself and six of his family were members of the Church. In the 
autumn of the same year, Dr. Benjamin H. Packard settled here, he 
and his wife being active members. Not far from the same time 
David Page and a daughter, being active workers, united by letter. 
These were further strengthened soon after by Ezra Maynard and 
wife, and a few others whose names do not appear. Mr. Maynard 
and wife had been members of the Presbyterian Church at the East, 
but chose now to identify themselves with Methodism. Mr. Page was 
father of Rev. William Page, the Presbyterian minister here at the 
time, but he was a decided Methodist and was soon appointed class- 
leader, an office which he had long held in Vermont. He was of 
great value to the Church at this time. All the individuals named 
above as having been added to the Church at this period have gone 
to reap their reward for their works of faith and labors of love. 
For the year 1828, it was supplied by Benjamin Cooper, a very quiet 
and sweet-spirited man, who did little else than to organize the Cir- 
cuit and put it in form. At the Conference in September, 1829, L. 
B. Gurley, now of the North Ohio Conference, was appointed to 
Huron Circuit. During the winter of 1829-30, he had a revival in 
Ann Arbor, which resulted in adding considerable strength to the 
Society. Mr. Gurley was a man of power both in the pulpit and in 
his social habits. Among the persons converted at this revival was 



232 HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

a lad about fourteen years of age — very interesting, and who was as 
firm and decided a Christian as anyone of mature years. Great 
hopes were entertained that he would become a useful laborer in the 
Church, but the Head of the Church was pleased to take him home 
early, for William Barr died in great peace in December, 1831. Mr. 
Gurley remained only one year. A strong effort had been made to 
secure a man of some age from the Genesee Conference to be 
transferred, but the effort failed, for, though the man had given some 
encouragement that he would come, he finally declined and they had 
to be content with the young men sent from Ohio. 

At the Conference in September, 1830, the name was changed 
and Ann Arbor appears on the list of appointments for the first time. 
Henry Colclazer and Elijah H. Pilcher, the former only twenty-one 
years of age and the latter much younger, were appointed to it. 
They felt that they were supplied with boys indeed. But, if they 
were young, they had zeal, and filled the appointments, and had 
some revival and accessions to the Church. How well they per- 
formed their work is not for us to say, as they are both still living, 
and in the effective work, the former in the Wilmington Conference, 
and the latter in the Detroit Conference, having always remained in 
Michigan. There were some very valuable accessions to the Church 
this year. Among these was Maria Maynard, a young lady of fine 
mind and well cultivated, who became very useful in the Church. 
She experienced very strong convictions for sin at a quarterly meet- 
ing held in Ann Arbor, where she resided, in the early part of the 
year, but did not then obtain salvation from sin. A few days after 
this the junior preacher called at the residence of a married sister, 
where she happened to be visiting ; and after some conversation with 
them on the subject of a religious experience, he prayed with them 
before leaving. During the prayer she was brought into the light 
and liberty of the Gospel. She united with the Church, January 2d, 
1 83 1. She lived happily and usefully, and died in Christian triumph, 
some years after. 

One thing is very agreeable to notice, that is, down to the 
present period no disastrous circumstance has ever happened to this 
Church. They have had their perplexities, but no great division or 
rupture has been occasioned in the process of administering Christian 
discipline. Its course has been steadily onward — regularly progress- 
ive. It is well to observe that, from the time the name appears on 
our Minutes, there has been a regular circumscribing of the bounda- 
ries of the charge, until it came to embrace only the village in 1835. 
Ann Arbor had acquired so much notoriety and Methodistic im- 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 233 

portance as to be made the head of a District in 1835, ano ^ Henry 
Colclazer was appointed in charge of it. Until this time it had been 
included in Detroit District. 

Various seasons of revival have been enjoyed, from which much 
good has resulted. But, perhaps, at no time has there been so ex- 
tensive a work, in proportion to the population, and productive of so 
much good, as the one which occurred in 1837-8, beginning in Decem- 
ber, 1837, and running on through the year. One hundred and eigh- 
teen, in all, united with the Methodist Episcopal Church, and a large 
number with the Presbyterian Church. The revival was productive of 
a vast amount of good. The good did not consist, altogether, in the 
number of persons who were converted, reclaimed, and brought into 
the Church, though that was great, but partly in the persons converted. 
Judson D. Collins, a small lad, who afterwards became our first mission- 
ary to China, of whom a full sketch will be given below, Isaac F. Collins, 
late a member of the Kansas Conference, now deceased, were con- 
verted at this time. Walter D. Collins, who became an active and 
successful missionary among the Indians and in Texas, for a number 
of years, was reclaimed, he having been converted, a few years be- 
fore, but, trying to live out of the Church, lost his piety. These 
three brothers united with the Church in Ann Arbor in the month 
of March, 1838, and have since died in holy triumph. We would not 
arrogate to ourselves the whole of the credit of this revival ; for, 
though it commenced in the Methodist Church, it was transferred to 
the Presbyterian Church, and carried on as a union work. They had 
just completed their church, and, in connection with the dedication, 
they had engaged a Mr. Parker, an evangelist, to labor for a time. 
The Methodists cheerfully joined with them in the work, as their 
place of worship was much the largest. Mr. Pilcher went heartily 
into the work, and, when the union was closed, he held meetings, for 
a short time, in his own church, and carried with him a large pro- 
portion of the converts. The Presbyterians had a valuable acces- 
sion. Mr. Parker had one peculiarity in his instructions to seekers, 
which Mr. Pilcher found it necessary, in a quiet way, to counter- 
act, that was, he required them to say that they were willing to be 
damned — that they felt so when they submitted themselves to Christ. 
It seemed absurd that a man who was anxious to be saved should be 
willing to be damned. 

The building of a church was found to be a desideratum for sev- 
eral years, but was not undertaken until in the spring of 1837, under 
the labors of Rev. Peter Sharp. Some preparations for the work 
had been previously made. The basement of the church was made 



234 HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

ready for use in November, 1837, and its occupancy was followed by 
the glorious revival before mentioned. The body of this church was 
not finished until in the summer of 1839, under the labors of Rev. 
Elijah Crane. This year the Michigan Conference held its session 
here for the first time. The dedication services were performed on 
the first day of the session, in the afternoon. The sermon was 
preached by Jonathan E. Chaplin, since deceased. The majestic and 
venerable Bishop Soule attended this Conference, and was invited to 
attend the dedicatory services. As he was on his way to the church, 
Rev. Henry Colclazer, Presiding Elder of the District, said to him, 
" Bishop! Perhaps I ought to say to you that the choir have taken 
great pains to prepare music for the occasion, and will have one or 
two instruments to assist them." As quick as the Bishop heard that, 
he whirled on his heel, saying, "Go on, brethren, and dedicate your 
church. I will have nothing to do with it." This is the same Bishop 
Soule, who, a few years after, could affiliate with the South on the 
subject of slavery, and give his influence to a division of the Church. 
He could strain at this gnat and swallow that camel. This session 
of the Conference was of great interest to our cause. Bishop Soule 
preached a most eloquent and powerful sermon on Sabbath morning. 
William L. Harris, now Bishop, was admitted into full connection, 
and ordained Deacon, at this Conference, and so was Lorenzo Davis, 
the second Michigan convert who had entered our ministry. 

Ann Arbor was made a station in 1835, anc ^ Thomas Wiley 
was appointed to it. His health was not very firm at the time, but 
soon began to decline and he died on the 4th of April, 1836, in the 
thirtieth year of his age, beloved in the Church, and respected by all. 
During his sickness when asked as to his state, his uniform answer 
was " Peace." He had not been quite five years in the ministry hav- 
ing been admitted into the Ohio Conference in September, 1831. 
Mr. Wiley having died, Rev. Goodwin Stoddard, a superanuated 
member of the Oneida Conference was employed by the Presiding 
Elder to fill the remainder of the year. The number of members 
returned this year was 136. Hitherto, this place had been connected 
with country appointments, and this is the first report of members 
for the village alone. 

At the Conference in September, 1836, Peter Sharp was ap- 
pointed to this charge. Mr. Sharp is still living. He was succeeded 
in September, 1837, by Elijah H. Pilcher. He remained but one 
year, having been appointed Presiding Elder of Marshall District, 
and in September, 1838, Elijah Crane was appointed, and remained 
two years, and he was succeeded, in 1840, by Jonathan Hudson. 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 235 

Both of these last were good, pious men, and rendered effective 
service, and are both dead. 

It is not important to follow minutely the fortunes and labors of 
this Church. Suffice it to say, they have labored much — have had 
many seasons of revival, have now a very large and beautiful church, 
corresponding with the growth of the city — for it is now a city — 
and the demands of the great State University located within the 
city. The present numbers will be furnished below. There is also 
a German Methodist Episcopal Church, included in the statistics 
below at 85. 

We have already said thata Presbyterian Church was organized 
in 1826. They, in a short time, erected a small frame church, being, 
the first Protestant church built west of Wayne County. That gave 
way to a larger and more elegant one, dedicated January or February, 
1838, and that, again, has been superseded by a large, commodious, 
and beautifully finished one. The Society has advanced in numbers 
and wealth. 

The Protestant Episcopal Parish was organized in 1827, and 
has worked and grown. They are now occupying the second church, 
which is a valuable stone structure, and they are commanding a wide 
influence in the city. 

The Baptist Church was organized in 1832, and now have a 
good, though not elegant house of worship. They have, more re- 
cently, organized a second church, which is very small. 

The Congregational Church was not organized until March, 
1847, the Congretional members, prior to that time, having been 
absorbed in the Presbyterian Church. But, at this time, there were 
some difficulties in the administration of Church discipline, which 
made a favorable opportunity for them to separate, and they availed 
themselves of it. They are now occupying the second church which 
they have erected. This is a costly stone structure, beautifully lo- 
cated in front of the University Campus. 

The statistics of the different Churches we now furnish from 
the reports as given in for 1876. We give them in the order of 
organization : Presbyterians, 342 ; Methodist Episcopals, 700 ; Pro- 
testant Episcopals, 228; Baptists, 264; Congregationalists, 263; 
African Methodist Episcopals, 59. 

It is right to take into the account that these Churches all have 
their Sabbath Schools corresponding, somewhat, with their member- 
ship, in estimating the amount of Church work which they are ac- 
complishing. What an army of children and youth, for a city of this 
size, are being trained every Sabbath ! -* 



236 HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

We here insert the official memoir of one who was converted at 
Ann Arbor, and whose whole religious life was, in fact, connected 
with this place, although he went to a foreign land. Because of the 
importance of his work, we shall be justified in transcribing the 
whole of it, though it is long. 

"Judson Dwight Collins, Superintendent of the China Mission, 
was born in the town of Rose, Wayne County, N. Y., and came to 
Michigan when eight years of age. He was blessed with an early 
religious education, which secured his youth from vicious habits, and 
eventuated in his conversion, under the Gospel ministrations of Rev. 
E. H. Pilcher, at the age of fourteen, when he united with the Meth- 
odist Episcopal Church. Love of learning seemed to be an inherent 
principle of his nature, and manifested itself in persevering, success- 
ful efforts to obtain a sound collegiate education. He entered the 
Michigan University at its first organization, in 1841, and graduated, 
with high honors, with its first class, in 1845. ^ n college he main- 
tained his Christian integrity, and, by his uniform piety, his well- 
governed life, and consistent efforts to promote the interests of 
religion, commanded the respect and excited the admiration of his 
friends and associates. He labored efficiently as Bible distributor, 
Sabbath School superintendent, class-leader, exhorter, and local 
preacher. On his graduation, he was appointed a teacher in the 
Wesleyan Seminary, at Albion, for one year. He was received on 
trial in the Michigan Conference in September, 1846, and at this 
Conference he was appointed to Tompkins Circuit, with the expecta- 
tion of receiving an appointment as missionary to China, which he 
did in the spring of 1847, when he immediately set out for the field 
of his future labors, where he arrived in August of the same year. 
During three years and nine months, which comprised the time of 
his stay in China, he devoted himself to his work with a zeal and 
earnestness that knew no limits but his ability and strength. But 
his robust and vigorous constitution yielded to the unfriendly in- 
fluences of the climate, and a severe attack of disease brought him 
nigh to the grave, so that, when the state of his health permitted it, 
in accordance with medical advice, he returned to his native land — 
to regain his health, as he fondly hoped, for the prosecution of his 
work in that great empire of idolatry, but, alas! to suffer and die. 
He reached Michigan in time to visit his brethren of the Conference 
at the session of 1851, when the entire change wrought in his ap- 
pearance, the emaciated look, above all the joy and tenderness with 
which he greeted them, melted them to tears. For eight months he 
patiently suffered the will of God, though his grief at the thought 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 237 

that he would no more return to China to prosecute his missionary 
labors, was more painful than the prospect of death, and, in May, 
1852, at his father's house in Lyndon, Washtenaw County, Michigan, 
surrounded by his friends, and amid the sweet associations of home, 
he quietly passed away from the scenes and toils of earth to the 
infinite rewards and felicities of Heaven, at the early age of twenty- 
eight. 

" Brother Collins was a man strong both in his bodily and 
mental constitution. This self-preparation for life's earnest work 
included physical as well as intellectual training. His understanding 
was clear, sound, powerful, though not rapid in its action. His re- 
flective faculties were searching and comprehensive, ever reaching 
after principles, and tracing out their connections. His conversational 
powers eminently qualified him for imparting knowledge, indicating 
in their action logical thought and accurate perceptions, rather than 
descriptive fancies and rhetorical abilities. His speech was instruct- 
ive rather than amusing, his language argumentative rather than 
eloquent. The entire structure of his mind was Saxon and philo- 
sophic, positive in its qualities, and high-toned in its sentiments. His 
capacities, in a word, were those of thought, of reason, of energy, of 
action. 

" Brother Collins' religious character was of the highest order, 
combining the noblest principles with the purest affections. His 
was a manly, cheerful piety, an unwavering integrity of purpose, a 
lofty aim and one of action, harmonious attributes of excellence, ele- 
vated conceptions of duty, a heart fixed upon the cross, and a life 
radiant with purity. His Christian love was rich in its elements,, 
essentially missionary in its character, intense and regular in its 
action ; and his Christian faith was simple and majestic, allying his 
existence in blissful fellowship with the infinite existence of Jehovah- 
Jesus. His goodness of heart was truly great, and fruitful of all 
active virtues. In him was not only a brave, rational perception, but r 
also, a real consciousness of the ' beauty of holiness.' 

"As a man, he was manly; as a Christian, he was Christ-like; 
as a minister, though youthful, he possessed elements of great ability 
and usefulness, and, as a missionary, he was a model. Having a 
stout physical frame, a richly endowed, well balanced mind, and a 
temperament susceptible of warm and high emotions, yet singularly 
free from rashness and excitement, had he lived to develop his 
mind and character in the missionary work, he would have been a 
star of the first magnitude in the dark heavens of China. Years 
before our Church established her mission there, while prosecuting 



238 HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

his collegiate studies, he pursued a course of reading on China, pre- 
paratory to a whole life of missionary labor among its benighted 
millions, and his mind had no rest until it was actually surrounded 
by their darkness and misery. No temporary impulse led him 
thither, no transient, fervid feelings urged him to a life of toil in that 
distant land, but a permanent conviction of duty possessed his mind, 
one great idea of supreme service to Christ controlled his whole 
existence, and carried all his thoughts, all his affections, all his im- 
pulses to that extensive territory of heathenism, and his martyr-like 
attachments to his work were only loosened by death — to be trans- 
ferred from the Cross to a crown of righteousness. In the very 
embraces of death, when Heaven was opening its glories upon his 
mind, his heart was with his brethren in the vast field of missions 
— he preferred to die where he so earnestly desired to live. As a mis- 
sionary, then, we embalm and cherish his memory in our holiest 
recollections of human character and excellence. While the truth 
and love of Christ dwell within us, in our heart of hearts we will 
remember thee, Judson Dwight Collins. Thy name shall not 
perish, and thy beloved China shall be redeemed! Thanks to the 
Infinite for the legacy of thy character and example to the Michi- 
gan Conference." 

The foregoing tribute, written by T. C. Gardner, D. D., is but 
just and true, and we will add that our Church had no thought of 
establishing a mission in China, until, by his persistent applications 
to the Missionary Secretary, Dr. Dubin, it was thought to be a 
providential opening. He said that he must go, God had called him 
to it, and,. if the Church would not send him, he would go, if he had 
to work his way as a common sailor. Still, he was willing to wait a 
proper time for the action of the Church ; and his desire was accom- 
plished. China is not forgotten by us, for two members of the Detroit 
Conference and one of the Michigan are there now. 

The blessed and glorious work of Christianization, which is now 
making such glorious progress in China, is traceable back to that 
blessed revival in Ann Arbor in the winter of 1837-8. God called 
that young man, then converted, to go, in His name, and begin that 
work. It may be regarded as a singular fact that a son of Mr. 
Collins' spiritual father, in after years, should have felt himself called 
of God to go to that same empire as a missionary, and Leander W. 
Pilcher, who received a part of his education, also, at the Michigan 
University, son of Dr. E. H. Pilcher, is now laboring successfully at 
Peking, the capital of the empire. It is honor enough and compen- 
sation enough for a whole lifetime of ministerial labor to have raised 




E. O. HAVEN, D.D., LL.D. 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 239 

up two such missionaries for the redemption of China. What more 
grand and sublime in human life than to see a young man, such as 
Mr. Collins was, forsaking all the dear associations of country and 
home, to devote himself to the redemption of a fallen, idolatrous 
nation! What an honor to the Church in Ann Arbor to have fur- 
nished such a young man, converted to God and educated among 
them! 

The University of Michigan holds so important a relation to 
Ann Arbor and the State, that it deserves a little special notice. It 
was located at Ann Arbor in 1837, and as soon thereafter as prac- 
ticable was opened for students, and graduated the first class in 
1845. There was no regular President or Chancellor elected until 
in 1852, when Rev. H. P. Tappan, D.D., LL.D., a man of very com- 
manding mien, of large and vigorous intellect, of broad culture and 
profound scholarship, was unanimously elected to that post by the 
Board of Regents, and entered on the duties of his office. Being a 
man of large ideas, he at once set himself at work to enlarge the 
influence of the University, and so far succeeded, that during his 
term of eleven years, the University of Michigan took rank as 
the fourth Institution in the United States — a rank it has not lost; 
as his successors have not only sustained, but increased its reputa- 
tion. He was succeeded by Dr. E. O. Haven in 1863, of whom a 
sketch is given below — who resigned in 1869. A period followed in 
which Prof. H. S. Freeze was acting President, and then Dr. James 
B. Angell was elected to the office, and who still holds the position. 
The Department of Medicine was early established, and that was in 
due time followed by the Department of Law. This Institution 
possesses as many advantages for a thorough educational training 
as any in the United States. Dr. B. F. Cocker, one of the most 
remarkable men, intellectually, of the present age, is in charge of the 
Department of Philosophy, and is deservedly very popular with the 
students, and is exerting a very wide influence. He is the author 
of " Christianity and Greek Philosophy," and some volumes of very 
valuable and interesting lectures. 

Rev. E. O. Haven, D. D., LL. D., came to the State of Michi- 
gan in 1853. Born in Boston, Massachusetts, in 1820, of Methodist 
parents, and early converted, his precocity in scholarship led to his 
college education and he graduated at the Wesleyan University in 
1842, at the age of twenty-one. He resigned the principalship of 
Armenia Seminary in 1848, and spent five years in the New York 
Conference. Even thus early in the ministry he obtained great 
popularity, and was in constant demand for dedications and anniver- 



24O HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

sary addresses, and other special occasions. It was understood that 
the Regents of the University of Michigan were desirous of obtain- 
ing a Methodist Professor, and many of various denominations, in 
New York, recommended the election of Mr. Haven. He entered 
upon a professorship in 1853 and remained only till 1856. During 
these years, in addition to his faithful work as a Professor, he be- 
came known almost all over the State, by his sermons, lectures and 
writings. Among other things, he attended the State Political Con- 
vention in 1854, at Jackson, where the Republican party was named ; 
and being called out, made an eloquent speech against the repeal of 
the Missouri Compromise, which was widely commented upon. As 
all the Regents were Democrats at that time, the party press urged 
that Professor Haven be at once dismissed, but the attempt was not 
made. 

He left Michigan to take the Editorship of Zioris Herald in 
Boston, Massachusetts, which place he held till 1863. During these 
six years the variety of his duties and honors was remarkable. Be- 
sides the charge of the paper, he supplied feeble Churches as pastor, 
lectured, acted as a member of the State Board of Education, and 
was twice elected to the State Senate, and was, perhaps, the most 
widely known representative of his denomination in New England. 
In 1863 the University of Michigan passed through its severest 
trial. Rev. Dr. H. P. Tappan, its first President, having served 
eleven years in that office, was much admired by many, and was bit- 
terly opposed by others. An irreconcilable contest sprung up be- 
tween him and the Board of Regents, and his place was declared 
vacant. At once the Regents, seeking a successor, thought of Dr. 
Haven, and unanimously elected him, and informed him of the fact 
by telegraph. Fortunately, as he afterwards said, he knew nothing 
of the facts, but supposed that Dr. Tappan had resigned, as he had 
often talked of doing, and that the Regents had, after proper delib- 
eration, called him to this high and difficult post. He accepted by 
telegraph. Immediately after, meetings of the citizens of Ann 
Arbor and Detroit, and of the students, and of the Alumni, were 
called, all of whom protested against the departure of Dr. Tappan, 
and some of them formally requested Dr. Haven to withdraw his 
acceptance. He learned from the Regents that, if he withdrew, Dr. 
Tappan would not be reinstated, and he determined to abide by his 
first decision. He said he had no regard for the honor, but some- 
body must hold the office, and he was willing to try it at least six 
months, till a new Board of Regents entered upon their office. Al- 
ready four other universities had offered him a presidency, and he 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 241 

was not anxious for himself whether he should succeed or should fail. 
Besides, a majority of the Faculties — some of them his old associates 
— anxiously asked him to accept the office. 

Those only who were near the scenes could imagine the diffi- 
culties of his position for the first year. They will, probably, never 
be described, unless by himself. But in every struggle he seemed 
to gain an advantage. The new Board assembled, and, in spite of 
his offer to resign, and to sustain their action if they should accept it, 
they, at first, with only one dissenting vote, resolved to re-elect him, 
and, finally, unanimously resolved to sustain his administration. The 
very first year the University had more students than ever before, 
and, before the six years of his administration closed, the University 
reached nearly double the number of students, and double the income 
it had when he accepted the Presidency. Previous to that the State 
had never really aided the institution by money, except in an indirect 
way, and to a small extent. President Haven spent much time with 
every successive Legislature, and prevailed upon them to initiate the 
practice of granting pecuniary assistance to the University. 

While in Michigan, Dr. Haven preached much every year, 
giving, at least, one course of Sunday afternoon lectures to the 
students, which were always largely attended. One of these courses 
of lectures constitutes the volume entitled, "The Pillars of Truth, or, 
Lectures on the Decalogue." His " Young Man Advised, or, Con- 
firmations of the Bible from Philosophy and History," was published, 
also, while he resided in Michigan. His " Rhetoric, a Text-Book for 
Schools and Colleges," was founded on lectures given in the Uni- 
versity. 

He was prevailed upon to leave Ann Arbor to take charge of 
the Northwestern University, at Evanston, Illinois, by the urgent 
solicitation of the trustees of that university. During his three 
years Presidency over that institution he had his accustomed popu- 
larity and success. A Medical Department was added, a Woman's 
College established, and the institution assumed the proportions of a 
University. In 1872, Dr. Haven represented the Detroit Confer- 
ence, as he did in 1868, in the General Conference, and he was 
unanimously elected Corresponding Secretary of the Board of Edu- 
cation of the Methodist Episcopal Church — the first time such an 
officer was elected by the General Conference. In 1874, he accept- 
ed the Chancellorship of Syracuse University, in Syracuse, New York. 
Though his residence in Michigan, in all, covered only about ten 
years, he was widely known, and left an impress on the history, 



242 HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

especially of the University, that will never be forgotten. His name 
became familiar in all homes. 

He represented the New England Conference in the General 
Conference of i860, and the Central New York Conference in the 
General Conference of 1876. He was chairman of the committee 
that reported in favor of lay representation, and the adoption of the 
report carried that measure. He was also chairman of the Commit- 
tee of Revision in 1872, and of Education in 1876. He was appoint- 
ed by the Bishop, pursuant to authority given by the General Confer- 
ence, a representative delegate to the British Wesleyan Conference 
of 1878, in which relation he will, undoubtedly, do great credit to his 
country and his Church. 

Dr. Haven is a devout and earnest Christian, a genial com- 
panion, and a good friend. He possesses excellent executive abili- 
ties, as shown in his great success as President of Univerities. As a 
minister of the Gospel, he is clear in expression, refined in diction, 
lucid in thought, and eloquent in language and manner. He has 
shown himself to be worthy of the fullest confidence and the highest 
esteem of the whole Church. 

Rev. Benjamin F. Cocker, D. D., Ph. D., who was elected to 
the chair of Philosophy in the University of Michigan, in the autumn 
of 1869, was born in Yorkshire, England, in 1829. Of pious parent- 
age, he became a Christian in his youth. When but a young man, 
he went to Australia, and entered into trade and business for a few 
years. He came to America and to Michigan in the spring of 1857. 
That autumn he was admitted to the Detroit Conference, on trial, 
and, in 1859, was admitted to full membership in the Conference. 
The following are the pastoral charges he has served with distin- 
guished ability, viz. : Palmyra, Adrian for two terms, Ypsilanti, and 
Ann Arbor for two terms. At the Conference, in 1869, he was 
appointed to the Central Church, Detroit ; but, having been elected 
to his position in the University immediately after the session of 
the Conference, a position which he accepted with the consent and 
advice of his brethren, consequently he did not supply the pastoral 
charge. Dr. Cocker has shown great ability, not, simply, in his high 
popularity in the professor's chair and in the pulpit, but in his 
authorship. His first effort was in the preparation of a chart of 
the Greek verb. This is one of the most complete and perfect 
things of the kind ever prepared. This was followed by valuable 
and able articles in Reviews. His "Christianity and Greek Philoso- 
phy" is a most valuable and interesting work. His " Theistic Con- 
ception of the World" is a deeply interesting volume. "The Uni- 




,1 



\J/f\u^y 




^ 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 



243 



versity Lectures on the Truth of the Christian Religion" is a most 
valuable work for young men. 

These writings constitute a noble and enduring monument to 
his name. All this work has been accomplished, and this distinction 
attained, in a constant struggle with ill health. His indomitable will 
has triumphed over disease. 




244 HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 



CHAPTER XI. 

Tecttmseh — First Preachers — Society Formed — Names— Joseph Bangs — Wheeler— Cross — Silli- 
man — Quarterly Meeting — Kev. A. Darwin — Presbyterian Church Organized — Revival — Pro- 
testant Episcopal — Baptist — Controversy — Remarkable Conversion — Statistics — Ypsilantt — 
First Preacher — First Society — Second Preacher — The Grove — Toils — Early Ministers — Elias 
Pattee — J. A. Baughman — 1830 — Two Young Men — Ira M. Weed — Minister raised up — 
Circuit— Station— First Quarterly Meeting — Present State — Presbyterian Church — Protestant 
Episcopal — Baptist — Statistics — Kalamazoo — First Missionaries — Society Organized — 
Names — Other Churches — Extent of Circuit — First Camp Meeting — Circuit Curtailed 
— New Societies — Poor — New Members — Walter — Swayzee — Advance — Special Attention — 
Church Begun — R. R. Richards Retained a Third Year — Station — Entertains Conference 
1848 — Secret Societies — Bishop Janes' Sermon — No Disaster — Mrs. Davidson — W. C. Comfort- 
— Statistics — J. Ecanbrack— Robe — Nil.es— Coston Visits—Felton Organizes Society — Appears 
in the List — Station — Conference Session — Incidents — Work in the Country — Biographical — 
G. M. Besswick — B. Cooper — Williams — Dissension — Other Denominations — Statistics — 
Romeo — Methodist Society — Congregational — Baptist — Original Members — Revival — Addi- 
tions — Church — Numbers — Name Appears — District — Revival Incidents — Southwell — Abel 
Warren — R. R. Richards — Others — Mrs. Pilcher — Sabbath School— Statistics — Saginaw — 
Missions — Discouragements — Numbers — Conference Sessions — Other Churches — Biographical 
— B. Frazee— W. H. Brockway— O. F. North— C. Babcock— J. Hudson— Summary — Cold- 
water — Statistics — Jas. Fisk — Marshall — Population — Rivals — Religious Services — 
Methodist Society Organized — Sidney Ketchum — Katherine Ketchum — Randall Hobart — 
First Love Feast and Sacrament — Increase — Revival — B. Sabin — Appears in Minutes — Dis- 
trict — Conference — Bishop Hiding's Sermon — Second Conference — Supplies — Review — 
Presbyterian — Cholera — Other Churches — Spread— A. M. Phelps Incorporated — Educational. 

^ECUMSEH appears in our list at the Conference in Sep- 
tember, 1 83 1, through error, but, having been introduced, it 
has been continued, and regularly supplied. It is situated in 
the midst of a beautiful and fertile country, on the north 
"branch of the River Raisin, about thirty miles west of Lake 
Erie. It is a beautiful and flourishing village. It possesses 
the advantages of mill power both on the Raisin and Evans' Creek, 




HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 245 

which form a junction at this point. The creek bears that name in 
honor of Musgrove Evans, the first settler here. This first settle- 
ment was made in June, 1824, and for some time it was the most 
prominent and important village in the county, as it was the first 
location made in the limits of the County of Lenawee. We have 
now to deal, principally, with its religious history, and not secular. 

Rev. Noah M. Wells, a Presbyterian minister, who was exploring 
the country in the summer of 1825, came here and spent a Sabbath, 
and preached one sermon. Rev. John A. Baughman, was the first 
minister who made this a regular appointment; this he did in 1826. 
It was included in Monroe Circuit. Mr. Baughman was succeeded 
on the Monroe Circuit by Rev. George W. Walker, in September, 
1827, who continued the appointment at Tecumseh, and organized a 
Methodist Society, or Church, in January, 1828, consisting of Josiah 
Wheeler and wife, Margarette Cross, Betsey Silliman, Mary Bangs, 
Mary Woodard, Isaac Bangs and wife, and three others whose 
names cannot be recovered. Josiah Wheeler was appointed the 
class-leader. He was a very good and earnest Christian man. Mr. 
Walker continued for two years, and was succeeded by Jacob Hill, 
and he by James W. Finley, in 1830, and at the close of his term, that 
is, in September, 1831, Tecumseh Circuit was created, taking a part 
of Monroe and a part of Ann Arbor Circuits, and taking in new 
territory on the west and north. Elijah H. Pilcher and Ezekiel S. 
Gavit were assigned to the new Circuit, the geography of which has 
already been given. 

The Methodist Society here, soon after its organization, was 
greatly favored by the addition of Rev. Joseph Bangs, a very useful 
local preacher and brother of the celebrated Nathan Bangs, D. D. 
He immigrated to this place in the autumn of 1828. He was a man 
of a thorough Christian experience, and insisted very strongly on 
the possession of deep piety of heart. He was born in Bridgeport, 
Connecticut. He was converted to God through the instrumentality 
of his brother Nathan, who had been led to the Saviour while teach- 
ing school in Canada. Immediately after his conversion, he wrote 
his brother Joseph an account of his experience, occupying several 
sheets of paper. While reading this, Joseph was awakened to a 
sense of his sins and a need of a Saviour, and was soon after con- 
verted ; whereupon he joined the Methodist Episcopal Church, in 
which he continued a faithful and honored member and laborer till 
his death, which occurred January 7th, 1848, aged seventy-two years, 
and having been a local preacher for forty-five years. He was licensed 
to preach as a local preacher in the latter part of the year 1802. 



246 HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

He never became connected with the Conference, but continued to 
work at his trade as a blacksmith and at farming, and preached as 
the occasion offered, which was quite frequent. Everybody liked to 
hear "Father Bangs" preach. He was universally esteemed in the 
community. While he was decided in his views of Methodistic 
doctrines and discipline, he was friendly with and charitable to all 
others. The doctrine of Christian purity or sanctification was his great 
theme in preaching, although he never said much on the subject as 
connected with his own experience, except in the following modest 
terms : " I love God with all my heart ; the love of God casts out 
all fear, that has torment; I know the blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth 
from all sin." These terms express " the fullness of the blessing of 
the Gospel of Peace." At what precise time he entered into this 
experience, we have not been able to ascertain, but, probably, it was 
shortly after his conversion. His last sickness was very brief, and his 
mind was clear to the last. One says, "He was not as triumphant 
as some, but he was as peaceful as the close of a summer's day." 
His physician, who was somewhat skeptical as to experimental re- 
ligion, and who had often heard him express his confidence of future 
bliss, when he told him there was no hope of his recovery, asked him 
how he felt about the future. "Doctor," said he, " I have not neg- 
lected that matter till this time. That [a preparation for the future 
life] was attended to long ago, and I have no fears." As he uttered 
this, a smile of joy lighted up his countenance, as if he already tasted 
the joys of heaven. 

Mr. Bangs was a good and useful man, possessed of respectable 
preaching talents and a good share of ready wit. Many interesting 
anecdotes of this latter feature in his character might be given, but 
we will content ourself with the following one : The Bishop of the 
Protestant Episcopal Church, having preached in Tecumseh, and Mr. 
Bangs being present, was introduced to him as a Methodist preacher, 
and, having expressed his kindly feelings towards that Church, the 
Bishop remarked, "You ought to feel well towards us, and respect 
us, as Mr. Wesley was always one of us, and he was your founder. 
" Yes" said Mr. Bangs, "and you ought to think much of us, as you 
are indebted to him, under God, for all the religious life you have in 
your Church." So the matter ended. 

It is proper here to say a few words in regard to the members 
of the original Society, as they, except one, have now passed away, 
or, at least, are not members of this Society. Josiah Wheeler was 
a small and somewhat eccentric man, but very pious and active as a 
Christian. Margarette Cross was a noble-looking and a noble-spir- 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 247 

ited woman, a true lady, from Ireland. She had been converted in her 
youth, and was well acquainted with Rev. John Wesley. She was 
now a widow. Her husband was a local preacher in Ireland under 
Mr. Wesley, and they had entertained him at their house. She was 
a woman of sound and consistent piety, always delighting to con- 
verse on religious experience. She was a very intelligent woman, 
and has gone to join the society of the blest above. Betsey Silliman 
was a maiden lady, and sister to Mrs. Rev. Joseph Bangs, and was a 
very active and faithful Christian. She married late in life. Before 
she died she made a will, from which the Superannuated Preachers' 
Aid Society of the Detroit Annual Conference realized about twelve 
hundred dollars. Her married name was Betsey Young. Mary 
Bangs was the wife of Alanson Bangs, a son of Joseph Bangs, and 
is, or was recently residing at Tecumseh. Of Mrs. Woodard, as of 
others, we have not been able to obtain any certain information. 
Isaac Bangs was another son of Joseph Bangs, and opened his house 
for services. The Saturday services of a Quarterly Meeting in No- 
vember, 1830, which we attended, were held in his house. This small 
Society advanced in numbers both by letter and by conversions, but 
we cannot say how many members there were in the village at any 
time before it was made a Station. 

The first Quarterly Meeting was held here in the summer of 
1829, by Z. H. Coston, Presiding Elder, and the next by Curtis 
Goddard, Presiding Elder, and James W. Finley, preacher, in No- 
vember, 1830. The love-feast in connection with the first Quarterly 
Meeting was not numerously attended, but was one of peculiar 
interest. Those who had come into the country from the East had 
expected to be deprived of such privileges for years, but, being 
supplied with them so soon, their hearts overflowed with gratitude 
to God for them. This gratitude burst forth in songs and expres- 
sions of thanksgiving. 

Rev. Ala?ison Darwin, of the Presbyterian Church, visited Te- 
cumseh in the fall of 1826, and preached, but did not settle here 
until September, 1827. Under his ministry, a Presbyterian Society, 
that is, a legal corporation, was formed in October of that year, but 
the Church was not organized until April 6th, 1828. The Church, 
at its organization, consisted of ten members, as follows : John 
Huyck and wife, William F. Finch and wife, Milla Ketchum, Euphemia 
Hillock, Emelia Holbrook, Maria Hixon, Mary Darwin, and Mary 
Metcalf. Mr. Darwin became their supply, and died here. 

Various changes have taken place in this Society and in the 
pastorate, as in the other Churches. Rev. Mr. Darwin the first 



248 HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

minister of the Presbyterian Church, died December 15th, 1831, 
aged 48 years. He was a very good man, and had a sound, genuine 
religious experience, but was not very popular as a preacher, as he 
was rather slow of speech. An extensive revival, for the number 
of the inhabitants, took place here, the season before his death, in 
which he labored efficiently. Rev. Joseph Bangs, joined with him in 
the labor, and was the most effiicient instrument in it. Over thirty 
joined the Presbyterian Church in one day. The Methodists also 
shared largely in the fruits of the revival. 

Rev. Mr. Lyster, of the Protestant Episcopal Church, first rep- 
resented that Church in this place, and organized a Church in 1832. 
The corner-stone of their church edifice was laid October 10th, 1833. 
This was the first church erected in the place. The parish was called 
St. Peters. They have not made very rapid progress, as they occu- 
py the same church to this day. 

The Baptist Church was organized April 10th, 1830, consisting 
of twenty-seven members, and now they have a good church prop- 
erty. They have been supplied with able ministers. 

For the most part a very harmonious feeling has existed be- 
tween the different denominations in this place, but there was one 
exception to this. In 1834, Rev. Thomas Wiley, of the Methodist 
Church, was in charge of this Circuit, and a Rev. Mr. Wells — not 
Noah M. Wells — supplied the Presbyterian Church. The latter gen- 
tleman pushed forward the peculiar dogmas of Calvinism in such a 
manner as to lead Mr. W r iley to preach against his views, and the 
matter was carried to such an extent that Mr. Wells gave him a 
challenge for a public discussion, which was accepted by Mr. Wiley. 
The day was set ; the judges were appointed ; the preliminaries 
were settled ; and these theological gladiators entered the arena. 
The contest lasted for about two days, and excited a good deal of 
interest. Having occupied their allotted time in their alternate 
passes, the question was given to the judges to render their decision. 
The judges very prudently took time to deliberate, and so far as we 
know are deliberating still, for they have never yet found it practica- 
ble to promulgate their decision. However, it was conceded by some 
of Mr. Wells' own friends, that Mr. Wiley had the weight of the 
argument on his side, but they remained Calvinists still, for they 
attributed the failure not to the weakness of the cause, but to the 
weakness of their advocate. That is about the effect such contro- 
versies generally have on the public mind. 

One of the most remarkable conversions that ever took place 
in this vicinity was that of Peter Davidson, now deceased. R. R. 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 



249 



in- 
at> 

for 
he 



Richards was on this Circuit in 183J-3S, and during the winter held 
a series of meetings in a school house at which there was much 
terest and many were converted. Mr. Davidson was desired to 
tend, but he refused. He became so angry at Mr. Richards 
holding the meetings that he threatened to flog him ; but before 
got ready to do this, the Spirit of God got such a deep hold on him 
that he felt this was his last chance for salvation. He had been a 
very wicked man. He submitted and was very powerfully converted, 
and became a very zealous Christian. It seemed as if he could not 
do too much for Mr. Richards. 

The different denominations, according to the reports of 1876, 
stand as follows : 



Methodist Episcopal 260 

Presbyterian 375 



Protestant Episcopal 104 

Baptist 167 



They all have pleasant, and some of them elegant churches and 
are in a condition to do good Church work. 

About thirty miles west from Detroit, on the line of the Michi- 
gan Central Railroad, and located on both sides of the River Huron, 
is situated the beautiful City of Ypsilanti. It is the location of the 
State Normal School, and boasts of one of the best union, or graded 
schools in the State. Ypsilanti is only the successor of Woodruff's 
Grove, which was near by, and as the settlement was first called. 
The settlement of the country west from Detroit was very slow at 
first, because of the difficulties of passing the belt of low and 
densely timbered land surrounding the city. Still Mr. Woodruff" 
and a few others had accomplished the feat, clearing a track for 
their wagons through a dense forest and black-ash swales, and had 
made a settlement here. They needed the Gospel and ought to be 
furnished with the ministry of the Word. 

When and by whom was the Gospel of the blessed Saviour 
first preached in Ypsilanti ? In the autumn of 1824, Rev. Elias 
Pattee and B. O. Plympton, then members of the Ohio Conference, 
were appointed to the Detroit Circuit. This was the only Circuit in 
the Territory of Michigan at that time. It embraced all the settle- 
ments, except on the St. Clair, as far as their time and strength 
would allow them to visit them. Mr. Pattee, that indefatigable min- 
ister, was not content with the plan of the Circuit as he received it 
— he was on the lookout for new places, and, as fast as he could 
hear of any new settlement having been begun, he visited it. In 
pursuance of this policy, as soon as the settlers here had erected 
their shanties, Elias Pattee extended his Circuit — came to them and 



25O HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

preached the Word of Life — the blessed Gospel of Peace. This was 
in the month of May, 1825. He established a regular appointment, and 
organized a Methodist Church. This was the first regular religious 
service established in Washtenaw County. It was our good fortune 
to have been somewhat acquainted with some of the original members 
of the first Church organized in Washtenaw County, as the Phillipses, 
Phineas Silsby, and some others. We were also well acquainted with 
Elias Pattee, and have had the story of his first visit to Woodruff's 
Grove, or Ypsilanti, from his own lips. None of these original mem- 
bers now reside here, if any of them are living. Mr. Pattee was suc- 
ceeded the next year, that is, in the autumn of 1825, by that earnest, 
active and very effective preacher, John A. Baughman, who extended 
his visits to Ann Arbor, where a settlement had recently been begun. 
The services were first held in private houses, then in school-houses, 
and then they built a small brick church down on the flat, on the 
northeast side of the river, which, in a few years, gave place to a 
larger frame one on the other side of the river. In the meantime, 
the Society had been greatly strengthened by Eleazer Smith and 
family, Justus Norris, Dr. Town and others. 

We now turn back, in thought, to the time of the first sermon, 
and stand in the midst of the oaks of the grove, and hear them 
murmur: "What sound is this, so strange and new to us! These 
words carry in them civilization, progress, the extinction of the red 
man, the displacement of the natural forests and groves. They 
presage our dissolution ; the woodman's axe will not spare us ; we 
must be made subservient to the interests and pleasures of the white 
man, as we have furnished the cooling shade for the aborigines. But 
it is high honor to have heard these words, so full of life and comfort 
to the human race. The coming generations will forget us and our 
murmurs of praise to our Maker; but we will not complain, for he 
is best who best performs the work assigned him — the behests of 
Heaven." Oaks may have voices, if we know how to interpret them. 
The old oaks are gone, and those who first settled among them are 
gone also, and a new generation of men and things has taken their 
places. 

The Methodist Society was organized in the summer of 1825. 
When we say this, it suggests the fact of great labor, toil, and suf- 
fering on the part of the ministers, for they had to find their way by 
blazed trees through the low lands and swamps. The nearest 
appointment was on the Rouge, about five miles out from Detroit. 
So the minister not only had to find his way out here, but he had to 
travel over the same bad road to return the next day. It is very 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 25 I 

difficult for those now residing here, and enjoying the privileges of 
the beautiful City of Ypsilanti, to form any just conception of the 
difficulties of a time when there was dense forest between it and 
Detroit ; but so it was at the time of which we write. It was a little 
improved when we first came to Ypsilanti, direct from the mountains 
of West Virginia, in 1830. These things furnish but a faint idea of 
what difficulties the minister had to grapple with, in order to supply 
the Gospel to these few settlers in the wilderness. If he could have 
settled down and remained, after he once arrived, it would not have 
been quite so bad, but he was an itinerant, and had to retrace his 
steps, and come again. He must repeat his visits, and pass through 
the same difficulties, time after time. It required no little fortitude, 
as well as grace, to do this work. But men were found, having a 
sufficient amount of both, to do it. 

Among the early ministers, we must not forget to mention Elias 
Pattee, the first, and John A. Baughman, the second, who visited this 
place to preach. These were as unlike as two men could well be, 
except in one thing, that was zeal — a zeal which carried them through 
all difficulties, and which impelled them to labor with great ardor. 
Pattee was tall, bony, coarse-featured, and well advanced in years, 
with very limited scholastic advantages, and without polish in the 
pulpit or out of it. Baughman was young, handsome, sleek, polished 
and educated, though not a classic, and refined in character and 
manners. The desire to iave souls was to them both as a consuming 
fire. Pattee came here from Canada, and Baughman was from south- 
ern Ohio. Pattee would travel on a Circuit as long as he could get 
anything to live on, and then he would stop, and go to work and earn 
money, and would take the Circuit again. So he labored in the min- 
istry, not for the money but for the salvation of lost sinners. 

Mr. Pattee was born in Vermont, September nth, 1784, and 
died in Iowa, November 5th, i860. He experienced converting grace 
in the State of New York, in 1807, and six months after was licensed 
to preach, and joined the New York Conference. In company with 
C. Hulbert, a brother-in-law, and their wives, he went into Canada 
as a missionary. He was appointed to Bay Quinte Circuit, and Mr. 
Hulbert to Oswegotchie. The wives rode on horseback, and the 
men traveled on foot. It was a long and tedious journey, but they 
reached their destination, and performed their work with good 
success. After some years of labor in Canada, Mr. Pattee became 
connected with the Ohio Conference, and was a member of that 
Conference at the time when he was appointed to Detroit, and 
during this year visited Ypsilanti. He located in 1838,50 that he 



252 HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

was not a member of the Conference at the time of his death. He 
was a very good, Christian man, and always true to the Church. 
We find the following notice in Connable's " Genesee Conference," 
and copy it entire. He "commenced his itinerant career in 1807. 
He was large of stature, commanding in personal appearance, dress- 
ing in breeches, stockings and shoe-buckles, which costume, with his 
graceful, natural attitudes, set off his portly, symmetrical figure to 
great advantage ; strong in lungs and voice, and, although dignified, 
zealous and emotional. He was regarded by the simple people of 
those days as a very powerful preacher. An authentic incident will 
illustrate this matter. An old Dutch brother, being interrogated as 
to the character of a Camp Meeting from which he had recently re- 
turned, said, * It was a poor, tet, tull time, and no goot was tone till tat 
pig Petty come ; but mit his pig fist he did kill te teivil so tet as a nit, 
and ten te work proke out.' The Methodists of that day were fond 
of the demonstrative." This was in his early ministry. His zeal 
continued, and his voice, even in family devotions, sometimes sound- 
ed like a trumpet. He did much good in his day. His great labors 
and excessive use of his lung power put him on the superannuated 
list at a comparatively early day. He had sufficient native talent to 
have made him one of the very first preachers in the denomination, 
if he had had proper scholastic training. 

The next in order — Mr. Baughman — was born in Hereford 
County, Maryland, but removed to Ohio while quite young, where, 
at the age of nineteen years, he was converted, and joined the 
Methodist Episcopal Church. He joined the Ohio Conference in 
1823. He labored, in all, twelve years in Ohio and thirty- two years 
in Michigan. Mr. Baughman was a man of great eloquence and 
power in the pulpit, and of untiring zeal ; somewhat verbose in style, 
yet convincing in argument, and successful in his work. 

The changes which have taken place in Ypsilanti, even since 
our time, are very wonderful. In the first week in October, 1830, 
two young men, well dressed, well mounted on horseback, carrying 
all their wardrobe and library in their saddle-bags, might have been 
seen, towards evening, riding into the new and scattered village of 
Ypsilanti, and inquiring for Eleazer Smith, with whom they expected 
to find entertainment, and from whom, when found, they received 
a cordial welcome. These young men had come, one from central 
Ohio and the other from the mountains of West Virginia, having 
been appointed together to Ann Arbor Circuit, which included 
Ypsilanti. They came around once in four weeks each, supplying 
preaching at Ypsilanti once in two weeks regularly. They were 






HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 255 

Henry Colclazer and Elijah H. Pilcher, both of whom are still living 
and in the effective ministry. They were the only ministers who 
rendered regular services here at the time. There was, and had 
been occasional Presbyterian preaching, but, as yet, there was no 
Church organized of that faith. Rev. Ira M. Weed, a young Pres- 
byterian minister, fresh from the Theological Seminary, came a few 
months after Colclazer and Pilcher, and established himself here, 
and, shortly after, organized a small Church, which has since become 
a very strong one. The Methodists, in their zeal to supply all the 
country, did not concentrate as much effort here as would have been 
desirable. 

It seems like a very strange thing, and yet it is true, that up to 
this time, 1837, but two ministers had been raised up from converts in 
Michigan, so the third Methodist minister, who was converted in 
this State, was from this place. All prior to them were converted 
elsewhere and sent into Michigan to supply the work. This was 
Lorenzo Davis, who had been residing in Ypsilanti for some time as 
a clerk, in the employ of Mr. Mark Norris, merchant. He joined 
the Conference in 1837, and continued in the ministry for a number 
of years and then located. He was in the work for seven years, 
and located in 1844. 

Ypsilanti appears in our Minutes as the head of a Circuit in 
1 83 1, and in 1837 was made a Station. In 1839, the first year that 
the members for the village were reported separately, there were 
144, which were increased so that in 1840 we had 155 members. 

The first Quarterly Meeting of which we have any knowledge 
as having been held here, was in the spring of 1831, Curtis Goddard, 
Presiding Elder, and H. Colclazer and E. H. Pilcher, preachers. It 
was a time of much interest, and people came long distances to at- 
tend it. 

The Methodists now have a fine church and a most elegant par- 
sonage — a very large and prosperous Sabbath School. The Annual 
Conference has been well entertained there at different times. The 
little one, in a half century and a little more, has become a mighty one, 
developing much vigor and healthful Christian strength. 

Mr. Noah M. Wells, of the Presbyterian Church, preached here 
occassionally, but they had no regular preaching till in the autumn of 
1830, when Mr. Weed came. A Presbyterian Church was instituted in 
July, 1829, informally, without Ruling Elders, by Rev. Wm. Page, of 
Ann Arbor. In October, 1829, Rev. Wm. Jones was sent out to this 
country as a missionary and he devoted his attention to the temper- 
ance reform, specially, for some time in Ypsilanti. Mr. Weed con- 



254 HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

tinued to labor among them as stated supply until in the autumn of 
1834, when he was formally installed as pastor. This Church has 
labored, prospered — succeeded, and have a large membership with 
an elegant house of worship. 

Protestant Episcopal services were occasionally conducted by lay 
readers and ministers from 1828, but no formal organization was 
effected until in 1830. They too have a valuable brick church. 

The Baptist Church was rather slow in organizing in this village, 
now city, so they did not organize till in October, 1836. They also 
have a comfortable house of worship. 

The statistics of the Churches, according to the reports for 1876, 
stand as follows : 

Methodist Episcopal 474 Protestant Episcopal 183 



Presbyterian 455 



Baptist 447 



The population of the city, which was chartered in 1858, was in 
1874,5,211. 

Kalamazoo, the county-seat of Kalamazoo County, was first 
settled in 1829, or, rather, Mr. Titus Bronson located or purchased 
the land of the General Government that year, and at once built 
a log cabin. This village is beautifully situated on a burr-oak plain, 
and is sufficiently elevated to be very pleasant. The beauty of the 
situation, with the advantages of water-power, for it is on the Kala- 
mazoo River, soon attracted the attention of others, and Mr. Bronson 
was not long left in his solitary glory, for, in the rush of emigration 
westward, this location secured attention, and the settlement in- 
creased rapidly. It was early selected by the Baptist Church as the 
location of their denominational college and Theological Institute. 
The educational advantages have become very excellent, and it is a 
desirable place for residence. The State Asylum for the* Insane is 
located here, and the Kalamazoo College is an object of interest. 
But it is not our purpose to do anything more in this direction than 
simply to furnish an idea of this locality; not to write its history. 

The introduction and progress of Methodism — of Protestantism 
generally — is that with which we have to do specially. In 1830, 
Kalamazoo was included in the St. Joseph Mission, that being the 
name of the charge which included all this southwestern quarter of 
Michigan. But, in 1831, Kalamazoo Mission appears in our Minutes, 
with Erastus Felton as the missionary. The Circuit was thus named, 
probably, from the name of the river or the county, as the village of 
Kalamazoo was, at that time, called Bronson, in honor of the eccen- 
tric man who had made the first effort at a settlement. The most of 
the labors of the missionary were bestowed on the settlements on 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 255 

the prairies situated on the south and west of this. Still, he did what 
he could for the few people here. No Society was formed at this 
immediate settlement during this year, but he returned thirty mem- 
bers for the Circuit at the next Conference. 

At the next session of the Conference, that is, in September, 
1832, James T. Robe was appointed to this Circuit. He continued 
to preach here, but did not organize a Society during this year. He 
was succeeded by Rev. Richard C. Meek, in 1833, who organized a 
Society in the fall of that year, or in the spring of 1834, consisting 
of the following persons, as well as we have been able to ascertain, 
viz : Harrison Coleman, leader ; Elizabeth Coleman, Julia Coleman, 
E. A. Coleman, Fanny Coleman, George Patterson, Rebecca Patter- 
son, and Hannah Wood. The Society was much increased during 
the next year. This was the first organization of a Christian Church 
in this beautiful town. This, in due time, has been followed by the 
organization of a Baptist, a Presbyterian, a Protestant Episcopal, 
and a Congregational Church, each of which has a commodious 
house of worship. 

Mr. Robe's Circuit spread all over the country, wherever 
there was a settlement springing up, and reached as far as Alle- 
gan. At the end of his year he returned one hundred and fifty- 
six members for the Circuit. But it is to be remembered, it took in 
a wide range of country, Niles and Allegan being included in it. 
This part of Michigan was included in the Indiana Conference from 
1832 to 1840. James Armstrong, a man of great power in the pulpit, 
was the first Presiding Elder. The first Camp Meeting held in this 
part of the country was held under the presidency of James Arm- 
strong and James T. Robe, on Big Prairie Ronde, beginning August 
24th, 1833. It was a time of very great religious interest. In the 
autumn of 1833, Richard C. Meek, a young, unmarried man, was 
appointed to this charge. He still extended the bounds of the 
Circuit as new settlements were formed, and that was very fre- 
quently, as there was a wonderful tide of immigration, and he had 
no thought of concentrating labor at any point. He returned two 
hundred and fifteen members, but we have no means of determining 
what proportion of these belonged to the village Society. 

Rev. James T. Robe was appointed to this charge, for the sec- 
ond time, in the autumn of 1834, and one more Circuit had been 
created in this part of Michigan, so that his labors were curtailed on 
the southwest, but all the northwest was before him. Kalamazoo, at 
the end of this year, only shows one hundred and twenty members, 
and yet the cause had advanced. Mr. Robe had formed Societies at 



256 HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

the following places in this county during the year, viz: Genesee 
Prairie. Judge Harrison's, East Prairie, Comstock, Indian Fields, and 
Climax ; but, by the division of the Circuit, the members reported 
are fewer than last year. Thus, from year to year, this place appears 
in the Minutes of the appointments, and men are assigned to it; but 
it is impossible for the present inhabitants to appreciate the priva- 
tions and sufferings these ministers endured to lay the foundations 
for the privileges and advantages they now enjoy. 

In 1839, we find two men assigned to this charge ; but it was a 
four weeks Circuit, and Kalamazoo was supplied with Methodist 
preaching only once in two weeks. In the meantime, ministers of 
other denominations had come in, and were supplying services in 
their forms, and the people were not so anxious for Methodist 
preaching as they had been when there was no other. The Society 
was small and poor, and had to worship in a school-house. They, 
however, were much strengthened, this year, by the accession of two 
families by the names of Walter and Swayzee, who had considerable 
pecuniary ability, and several members of the families were members 
of the Church. They at once identified themselves with the poor 
and feeble Society, as they were in duty bound to do, without stop- 
ping to inquire how it might affect their respectability. Some of 
the would-be aristocrats wondered that people of their means and 
standing would be Methodists in this place. They, however, did 
not regard this, and went steadily on in their adherence to the 
Church of their choice, considering that, if it was not respectable, it 
was their duty to make it so if they could. 

Mr. Walter, in his old age, became carried away with Sweden- 
boi-gianism, and withdrew from the Church, but his wife and children 
remained firm to the cause. Mr. Swayzee continued steadfast in 
the faith and in his attachment to the Church as long as he lived, 
and was a useful man in it. He died, in great peace, in the summer 
of 1850. He was much lamented when he was removed to the 
Church above. 

No effort was made to concentrate labor in the village until 
1840, when R. R. Richards and R. H. Cook were appointed to this 
work. It was now determined to hold services here every Sabbath. 
It was constituted a half Station, that is, though the preachers alter- 
nated, one of them was to preach in the village every Sabbath. This 
was a move in the richt direction, for no considerable success can 
attend labors only once in two weeks in a village, especially if there 
are other denominations existing-, as there were in this case. This, 




FIRST METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH, KALAMAZOO. 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 257 

then, is a step in advance — looking to concentration — a step from 
which there has been no receding. 

The next year, that is, in 1841, the appointments stand as fol- 
lows : James F. Davidson, Presiding Elder ; R. R. Richards and E. 
L. Kellogg, preachers. During the preceding winter, Mr. Richards 
had bestowed considerable labor on the Church in the village, and 
held a series of meetings, which were attended with some degree of 
success, but still the Church did not have any great accession of 
strength, but they carefully husbanded all they had previously gained. 
The Presiding Elder of the District, which was now called Kalama- 
zoo, located himself in this village, which added a little to the interest 
of the Church, as he could give some attention to it — more than if 
he were residing somewhere else. 

Some effort was now begun towards building a church — a thing 
that was very much needed — indeed, it was essential to the prosper- 
ity of the cause. This effort was successful after a little time. But 
the advantage the Methodists had in being the pioneer Church had 
been so long neglected that it was found to be very difficult to re- 
cover what had been lost. Mr. Richards had done such good service 
for the two years he had been on this Circuit, that they were very 
desirous to retain his services in the village for another year, if pos- 
sible. A little pardonable strategy was resorted to for this purpose. 
His health was not very good, so that it was doubtful whether he 
could do full work on a Circuit. Advantage was taken of this to 
place him on the supernumerary list, and he was attached to the 
Kalamazoo Circuit as such, with the understanding between the 
Presiding Elder and the people that he was to supply the village 
work, which he did to good advantage. The Circuit was now pretty 
well narrowed down, but still they returned at the Conference for 
1843, three hundred and forty -four members ; probably, however, less 
than one hundred of these belonged in the village. 

In 1844, tne charge was narrowed down to what might be called 
a Station, although the ministerial labor was not confined, entirely, 
to the village, but yet this was the chief point of his labor. The 
returns at the end of this year show one hundred members. This 
may be regarded as the strength of the village Society at this time, 
for the appointments out were in such proximity to the village as 
that they ought to have formed a part of the village congregation. 
The Methodist people have been very slow to learn the value of 
concentration, and so have lost a part of their strength by dividing 
up into small congregations. The cause advances a little every 
year. 



258 HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

The Society, in 1847, na< ^ become sufficiently numerous to think 
they could entertain the session of the Annual Conference, and an 
invitation was extended to that body to hold its next session in this 
place. Accordingly, the Annual Conference held its session here in 
1848, Bishop Janes presiding, and it was magnificently entertained. 
On some accounts this was a memorable Conference, and deserves 
a little notice. Early in this session, a committee was appointed on 
the subject of secret Societies, so called. That committee made a 
report which prohibited the members of the body from joining or 
meeting with any secret society. This included Sons of Temper- 
ance, Odd Fellows and Free Masons. This report was adopted 
without discussion, those who were members of such societies choos- 
ing, at that time, to let the opponents go as far as they pleased. It 
had been agreed on, beforehand, among the members of the Con- 
ference who belonged to any of these societies, that, if the report 
should be adopted, one of their number should call a meeting of 
them all. Accordingly, when the time came for giving out notices, he 
announced that there would be a meeting of all the members of 
secret societies at the Odd Fellows' Hall, that afternoon, for con- 
sultation. They met, and drew up a protest against the action, 
denying the right of the Conference to interfere in that way, and 
declining to submit to such action. This protest was signed by them 
all, not a very formidable body as to numbers, to be sure. This was 
put into the hands of the Secretary of the Conference, to be pre- 
sented to the Conference, and to ask that it might be spread on the 
journal at the proper time. 

When it was understood that this course had been agreed on, 
some who had been forward in the matter, and had voted with the 
majority on the adoption of the report, promised that, if it would be 
withheld, they would move a reconsideration of the vote by which it 
had been adopted, and have it laid on the table. This was so far 
satisfactory that the protest was kept back, waiting for this promised 
action. But the last session had come — an evening session for the 
purpose of receiving the appointments — and the time was passing 
on, the business was completed, and no motion of reconsideration 
was made. The Secretary arose in his place, and announced to the 
Bishop that he had a paper to present, and proceeded to read the 
protest, and moved that it might be spread on the journal. This 
opened the discussion, which lasted till near midnight, and which re- 
sulted in the consideration of the former vote, and laying the report 
on the table. This is the only real discussion that has ever been 
had on this subject in the Conferences in Michigan. Every minister 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 259 

has his own opinion on this question, and so have the members, and 
the Conference has made no further effort to control the matter. 
This session very greatly promoted the cause of Methodism in this 
place. Bishop Janes preached on the Sabbath with wonderful power 
and eloquence. He said we should neither wear out nor rust out, 
but burn out in our work. Bishop Scott was then here, represent- 
ing the Book Concern at New York, and gave great satisfaction. 
The visits of such men among us at that time left a very favorable 
impression on the public mind. 

There are no very remarkable incidents to be recorded in con- 
nection with this charge; only, it may be well to say that the prog- 
ress of the Church has not been without the usual trials and inter- 
ruptions. It has met with its reverses, and yet there have not been 
any very strongly marked defections, nor any very peculiar minis- 
terial latches or misconduct to bring a reproach on the cause. It 
is an interesting fact to know that, with all the liabilities of human 
nature to be drawn away from the right, we do not have to record any 
special defection in our Church at this place. Few members have 
been expelled, but several have been peacefully transferred, in tri- 
umph, to join the Church of the First-born in Heaven. Among 
those to be placed in this list is Mrs. Louisa Davidson, wife of Rev. 
James F. Davidson, who, at the time, was Presiding Elder of the 
District. She was a woman of a good mind, and possessed a meek 
and quiet spirit. She bore her sickness with much Christian resig- 
nation, and met death in triumph in the spring of 1845. She had 
buried four children, and left one living, but she, too, has gone to 
meet her mother above ; so that Rev. Mr. Davidson now has a wife 
and five children who have passed on and are waiting for him in 
the Paradise of God. 

Among the ministers who have labored here and have died, we 
may name William C. Comfort, a very devout and earnest and 
intelligent Christian. He joined the itinerant ranks in 1842, and 
labored very usefully and successfully in this work for many years, 
and his dust quietly sleeps in the cemetery here, awaiting the resur- 
rection of the just. 

We ought not to dismisss this place without furnishing a state- 
ment of the denominational numerical condition according to the 
reports for 1876. They stand thus: 



Methodist Episcopal 546 

Presbyterian." 325 



Protestant Episcopal 313 

Congregational 448 

Baptist 456. 

We introduce one other name in this connection, because he 



2CO HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

was the Presiding Elder of the Kalamazoo District for one term. 
He was a short, thick, and venerable-appearing man — a man of very 
lively temperament and warm sympathy in all his religious exercises. 
He was very successful in turning sinners to God — seldom failed of 
having his charge in a blaze of revival. His early ministry was in 
connection with the Oneida Conference, and it was only in his later 
years that he served in Michigan. We here introduce the official 
memoir, as found in the Minutes for the year 1852. 

" Rev. John Ercanbrack died at his residence in Bronson, 
Michigan, March 7th, 1852, aged sixty-one years and eleven months. 

"He was converted to God in early life, and joined the Meth- 
odist Episcopal Church. He entered the Christian ministry in 1817, 
and continued in the same until death. 

" In his various fields of labor, and in the different stations 
which he occupied in the Church of God, he acquitted himself hon- 
orably and usefully; and his name is as ointment poured forth. Few 
men in western Michigan have been more beloved than this venera- 
ble Father in Israel. He emphatically loved to preach the Gospel. 
He died in peace aud holy triumph ■" 

This is a brief, but a very expressive memoir. His labors were 
all in the western half of the State. He served one term, of four 
years, on Kalamazoo District. 

We take the liberty of introducing, now, a brief notice of one 
who was connected with this place in the beginning, and to whom we 
have been indebted for much information of the early history of re- 
ligious work in this part of the State, and whose charge once included 
all the settlements north of the St. Joseph River and west of Battle 
Creek. He visited the first settlements in Allegan County, and 
opened the way for the labors of William Todd, deceased, and F. 
Gage, who still lives to labor. Many will be pleased to find an 
engraving of this early pioneer, which we have great satisfaction in 
presenting. 

Rev. James T. Robe was born in Woodbridge, New Jersey, 
April 1 2th, 1807, but removed with his father's family to Cumber- 
land County, Pennsylvania, in 1809. He was brought to an expe- 
rience of the renewing power of Divine grace, and joined the 
Methodist Episcopal Church, when about fourteen years of age. 
He removed thence to the State of Indiana in 1830. There he was 
licensed to preach, and joined the Conference, in 1831, and was 
appointed as junior preacher on Wayne Circuit, Wayne County, 
Indiana. In the fall of 1832, he was appointed to the Kalamazoo 
Mission, as before noticed. 




3/at^yf fiuXsCu, 




<Z4nj£<$f 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 263 

Mr. Robe was the first minister of any denomination who 
preached in Kalamazoo. It was then called Bronson, after the 
proprietor, Mr. Titus Bronson, in whose house he preached. In 
the winter of 1832-3, he had a very blessed revival on Prairie 
Ronde, and, in the winter of 1834, he had a good work in Kala- 
mazoo, in which several precious souls were converted and added 
to the Lord. 

Mr. Robe has lived to see Kalamazoo grow from a few shanties 
to be the largest village, it is said, in the world ; for, while other 
places of even less population have taken on city government and 
city airs, this has been content to be a village. We may say, in 
passing, that it is one of the most beautiful and thriving places in 
all the country, and is surrounded by a farming country of unsur- 
passed beauty and fertility. He has the proud satisfaction of having 
laid the foundation of its religious prosperity, though now laid aside 
from the active ministerial work by reason of age and infirmity — 
infirmity superinduced, no doubt, by his pioneer labors, and he now 
resides in Kalamazoo. He has lived to see the little Society he or- 
ganized grow to the number of 560 members, and have a Church 
worth $50,000, free from all debt. This is only one branch of the 
Christian Church which has sprung up ; for there is no town in the 
West better supplied with Churches whose courts are better filled 
with attentive listeners on each Sabbath day. Mr. Robe is a de- 
voted Christian man, and has been an able, efficient and useful min- 
ister. 

Among the new appointments appearing in our list, in the year 
1836, is Niles, a town situated on the St. Joseph River at the point 
where the Michigan Central Railroad crosses that river, and is the 
principal town in Berrien County. It is sufficiently varied, with hill 
and dale — with depressions and elevations — to give it a very pleasing 
variety to the eye. It has a population of about five thousand. It 
is but a few years, comparatively, since this was a hunting-ground 
for the wild Indians. How applicable are the following strains : 

"Art hovering o'er thy once wild home, 

Poor old man's spirit, now 
Where thy free nature loved to roam 

Like bird from bough to bough ! 
' Who mourns for Logan ?' Oh, not one ! 

Ah ! brave and stalwart chief, 
'Twas phrenzy to thy soul that none 

O'er thee should bow in grief." 

The red men have passed away — they have gone, and the works 
of art are reared where they roamed so free. We have no laments 



264 HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

for the changes which have taken place, only that the aboriginal oc- 
cupants have been so nearly extinct. It is fitting that the arts and 
advantages of a Christian civilization should take the place of the 
savage state. Wrongs may have been perpetrated on them in bring- 
ing about this change, because all men are not governed by the law 
of right, but the change itself is right. It is manifest that Providence 
never intended these fertile lands to remain mere hunting-grounds 
for savages. 

Niles was laid out as a village, as recorded in the Register's 
office of Lenawee County in 1829, and settled, mostly, by people 
from Ohio and Virginia. The first footsteps of the first settlers had 
scarcely become cold before the ministers of the new and everlasting 
covenant were found among them, with their messages of love and 
mercy, warning the ungodly and encouraging the pious. The peda- 
gogue soon followed, to assist in intellectual culture. 

In May, 1829, Rev. Zarah H. Coston, who was then- Presiding 
Elder of Detroit District, made a trip into this part of the country, 
visiting all the settlements, and came as far as Niles. He preached 
in the house of a Friend Quaker a few times — found a few members 
of the Methodist Church scattered here and there in the wilderness, 
but did not organize a Church, because he did not, then, find any 
one suitable for class-leader. He, however, made arrangements to 
have a preacher sent into this part of the country, who came on in 
the autumn, and gathered up the scattered sheep. It was included 
in the St. Joseph Mission, and Erastus Felton was the preacher. He 
organized a small Society in the spring of 1830. The beginning was 
very feeble, and, being visited only once in four weeks, they did not 
grow very rapidly. 

The power of the Gospel has been seen in its renewing influence 
in this community, and gracious manifestations have been enjoyed — 
seasons of precious revival. A goodly company have already been 
gathered home, to sing before the Throne the " song of Moses and 
the Lamb," while others are left to labor and rejoice below. The 
few have expanded into a numerous and flourishing Society, and 
they have a large and beautiful church in which to worship. 

Niles appeared, first, in the list of the appointments of the 
preachers in 1836, with Thomas P. McCool as preacher; it was 
then in the bounds of the Indiana Conference. The Circuit then, 
and for several years after, was quite extensive, but, with the growth 
of the surrounding country and the increase of the town, it was 
narrowed down, till it came to be a Station in 1843, with Ransom R. 
Richards as the stationed preacher. At the end of this year they 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 265 

numbered one hundred and ten members. This is the first report 
we have for the village alone. It became the head of the District in 
i860, which is now ably filled by James W. Robinson. 

The town had become sufficiently large and the Church suffi- 
ciently numerous to warrant inviting the Michigan Conference to 
hold its session here in 1852. It was so held that year. Bishop 
Scott presided. The session was one of mournful interest, as two 
of the members had died during the year. Rev. John Ercanbrack 
and Judson D. Collins had been called from labor to the refresh- 
ments on high by the Master of Assemblies, and a funeral sermon 
was preached for each ; for the first by Rev. John A. Baughman, 
and for the second by Rev. C. T. Hinman. The latter was pub- 
lished. The session of the Conference was profitable for our cause 
in the town. 

The following incident, which occurred here, though in no way 
connected with Protestantism, will be tolerated by all, and read with 
interest by some, as showing that no reliance can be placed in clair- 
voyance. The circumstance, at the time it occurred, created a good 
deal of stir in the community for some weeks, and was thought to be 
rather a serious aflair. The substance of it was this : A farmer came 
in from the country, a few miles, with his team, and put up at a hotel; 
and suddenly disappeared, leaving his team, no one knowing how or 
why he had disappeared. Suspicions of foul play — murder and rob- 
bery — soon became rife, and, on examination of the premises, it was 
thought signs of violence and of his death were found, but not 
enough to warrant the arrest of any one. As no satisfactory clew 
to the whereabouts of the man could be found, resort was had to 
mesmeric clairvoyance. Now, it was reduced to a certainty that 
the man had been murdered, and his body thrown into the river. 
Forthwith, the people gathered at the designated place, and dragged 
the river, without finding the body, but the clairvoyant persisted 
in saying that he was there, and at a certain place, but a little 
deeper than they had reached. A new search was made, with no 
more success, and the matter was given up — he was lost irrecov- 
erably. Things passed on in this way for about three weeks, when 
the man appeared among them, as suddenly as he had disappeared, 
alive and well. He had been East, somehere, visiting some of 
his friends, and now returned to find himself mourned for as dead. 
He had gone off in that way either from a freak of eccentricity or 
from a fit of insanity. He was entirely reticent on the subject, and 
gave no explanation of the matter. 

There is another incident, having a more intimate connection with 



266 HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

Methodism, which we will narrate as it was related to us, and which 
will show how some people are influenced in their selection of 
Church relations. A young man, just from the East, settled himself 
down in this village, and opened a law office. He was not a profes- 
sor of religion, but his mother was a Methodist, and he had always 
attended that Church ; so, when he came here, as was right, he did 
not stop to inquire which was the most popular Church in the place, 
but commenced at once to attend this Church. After a few weeks, 
a young man came into his office, and, after some other conversation, 
inquired of him where he attended Church. He frankly said he at- 
tend the Methodist Church. " But," said the young man, " that is 
not the popular Church here, and it perhaps would be for your in- 
terest to attend somewhere else." "Well," said the lawyer, "where 

do you attend?" "Oh! I go to the Church, that is the popular 

Church here." " But," said the lawyer, " do you believe the doctrines 
of that Church ?" " I don't know," said he, " for I don't know what 
they are." The lawyer then gave him a synopsis of the doctrines 
of that popular Church, and asked him if he believed them. " Oh ! 
no," said the young man, " but that is the popular Church." Then 
the lawyer gave him a summary of the doctrines of the Methodist 
Church, and asked him what he thought of them. He said they 
were right, and he could believe in such doctrines. "Well," said the 
lawyer " I'll tell you what we'll do, then ; you and I will go to the 
Methodist Church, and make that the popular one, if we can." The 
lawyer continued to attend as before. 

Niles being the principal town in the County of Berrien, it is 
suitable to furnish a general idea of Protestantism in the county 
under this head. It is not necessary to tell how the itinerants hap- 
pened to visit each particular locality. Suffice it to say that their 
ears and hearts were open to all calls, and they were ready, as far as 
possible, to attend to them, and Societies were organized by Rev. 
James T. Robe and others ; and there are now several Stations and 
Circuits. Niles was not known in the Minutes of the appointments 
earlier than 1836. Prior to that time it was included either in St. 
Joseph or Cassopolis Circuits. Other Churches, in their order, have 
been established in all parts of the county. 

Niles, of course, has been regularly supplied with ministerial 
workmen. Many of them are still living, and some of them have 
departed, and it might be interesting to insert here a biographical 
sketch of all those who have departed to their reward ; but most off 
them will be mentioned in other connections, so we shall content 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 267 

ourselves with introducing a brief memoir of three of the early 
pioneer men. 

Rev. George M. Beswick, who was appointed to this Circuit 
in 1832, and traveled it for one year, was born in the State of 
Kentucky, October nth, 1811. His father was a member of the 
Methodist Episcopal Church, and settled in Indiana in 181 5. George 
was early impressed with the necessity and importance of religion, 
and was converted in the fourteenth year of his age, and immediate- 
ly united with the Methodist Episcopal Church. He was licensed to 
exhort in the sixteenth year of his age, and to preach at eighteen, 
and was admitted, on trial, in the Indiana Conference in his twen- 
tieth year, and appointed to a Circuit. He has filled some of the most 
important appointments in his Conference, as Circuit and stationed 
preacher and as Presiding Elder, and was a delegate to the General 
Conference of 1852. At the time of his death, he was Presiding 
Elder of one of the most important Districts in his Conference. 
Having nearly completed his third round on the District, he was at- 
tacked with typhoid fever, in a very malignant form. Early in the 
disease his brain became involved, and he was delirious most of the 
time. He had his lucid moments, however, and these intervals were 
improved in rejoicing, exhorting his friends, and comforting his 
family. 

In Mr. Beswick, the virtues which constitute a Christian gentle- 
man were harmoniously blended. He was a talented — a bold and 
original thinker. His motto, firmly adhered to, was to fear God and 
do right, no matter what the consequences might be. He had a 
sound, pure, Christian experience, and was a very useful minister. 
He fell asleep in Jesus in the spring of 1854. In this sketch we have 
very closely followed the Minutes. 

We have now to introduce to the reader a tall, lank, pleasant- 
visaged man, who was appointed to this Circuit in 1832 ; one who 
belonged to the son-of-consolation ciass, whom everybody would 
esteem for his mild goodness, and would respect for his evident sin- 
cerity ; one who always wore the old-fashioned, round-breasted coat, 
and who would be taken, at first sight, for a Methodist preacher of 
the olden time; not that there is any virtue in the cut of a coat, but, 
for many years after the fashion changed, and other men wore coats 
cut in another style, the Methodist preachers adhered to this fashion 
of Continental times, and some of them, with just as much sincerity 
as that Quarterly Conference in the vicinity of Pittsburgh, who voted 
that " they would do all they could to put down the ungodly practice 
of wearing suspenders," would have voted to put down the ungodly 



268 HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

practice of wearing coats of any other cut. The ministers of this de- 
nomination were distinguished in this way for a long time. The sub- 
ject of this sketch held on to the faith and practice of the fathers in 
this respect. The following is the memoir, taken from the Official 
Minutes of the Ohio Conference, to which he belonged, for the year 
1846: 

"Rev. Benjamin Cooper died at his residence, in Hancock Coun- 
ty, Indiana, May 13th, 1846. He was born in Perry County, Ohio, 
June 3d, 1802, to which place his parents had removed a short 
time before his birth. His parents were pious members of the 
Methodist Episcopal Church. Amongst all the disadvantages of 
a new settlement, his father, Joseph Cooper, succeeeded in bestow- 
ing upon his children a religious education. Benjamin was a bright 
example of early piety. Being given to studious habits, he acquired 
a good English education. When a young man, his sober deport- 
ment would have done honor to one of gray hairs. He loved the 
society of the aged and the upright rather than that of the young 
and frivolous. In a word, he dared to be singular in order to be 
wise and good. He had a great amount of retiring modesty, per- 
haps to a fault ; for, when God called him to the work of the minis- 
try, had not his brethren pushed him out, he would, no doubt, have 
hid his useful talents ' in a napkin.' But the Church, which is as 
good, and, perhaps, a better judge of a young man's gifts than him- 
self, gave this young man license to preach, and recommended him 
to the Ohio Annual Conference, to be received on trial as a travel- 
ing preacher. In 1827, he was admitted on trial, and appointed to 
Mansfield; in 1828, Pickaway; 1829, to Huron [Michigan] ; 1830, 
St. Clair; 1831, St. Joseph [which included Niles]; 1832, Brush 
Creek; 1833, Bainbridge ; 1834 and 1835, Rushville ; an ^ in 1836 
was superannuated. 

•' He traveled all these Circuits with honor to himself and use- 
fulness to the Church ; for, at all times and in all places, he breathed 
the spirit of the Gospel he preached, and discharged the duties it 
enjoined. No man, in his proper mind, could spend an hour in his 
society without being benefitted; for in his life he had a living com- 
ment on the Gospel of Christ. But the Being, Whose ways ' are 
past finding out,' permitted this good man to lose his health in the 
midst of his usefulness. He, therefore, asked and obtained a super- 
annuated relation to his Conference, in 1836. In this relation he 
spent the balance of his life ; but, judging it best for himself and 
family, he sold his patrimonial inheritance in this State, and moved 
to Indiana, where he continued to preach, as his health would permit, 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 269 

until the Lord and Master came to call him home. When approach- 
ing the valley of the shadow of death, he said : ■ My confidence is 
firm. Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners. He saves 
me ; saves me from all sin ; saves me now.' To a young minister 
he said, 4 Go, young man, and preach Jesus to a lost world.' Then, 
lifting his eyes to Heaven, and his countenance beaming with un- 
earthly grandeur, he said: ' O Death, where is thy sting?' He has, 
doubtless, joined the General Assembly and Church of the First- 
born. 

" Brother Cooper was a man of sound mind, his preaching tal- 
ents were respectably good, his deportment was sober and dignified,, 
and his spirit was as sweet as a newly blown flower." 

There is something grand and beautiful in the experience and 
course of life of such a man as this. He not only shows himself 
to be sincere, but, by the sweet serenity of his life, shows that his 
religion accomplishes what it purposes — it makes him pure and 
happy. To see a man lay aside the selfishness which adheres so 
strongly to our natures — sacrifice the pleasures of home and the 
hope of worldly gain and of worldly honor — devote himself, unceas- 
ingly, as long as his physical energies hold out, to the moral refor- 
mation and elevation of his fellow-men, is most sublime ; it is more — 
it is noble, God-like. But this was what Mr. Cooper did, and what 
every faithful minister does when he becomes an itinerant, and de- 
votes himself, perseveringly, to his ministerial duties and work. The 
same nobility and God-likeness attaches to every faithful Gospel 
minister of any denomination. 

One other case will be introduced here because Niles and 
Kalamazoo, each for one year, were the only appointments he ever 
supplied in Michigan. The rest of his itinerant life was spent in 
Indiana. He was appointed to Niles in the autumn of 1837. The 
memoir is taken from the Minutes of the Indiana Conference for 
1841. 

" Rev. Sanford S. Williams was born of religious parents, in 
Hamilton County, Ohio, where he was religiously brought up, called 
to the ministry, and finished his earthly sufferings. The precise date 
of his birth cannot be ascertained. In the year 1834, he was licensed 
to preach the Gospel, and admitted, on trial, in the Indiana Confer- 
ence, at its session in Centerville, the ensuing autumn. His first 
appointment was to the charge of Versailles Circuit, where he la- 
bored with acceptability and usefulness. After this he traveled, 
successively, the Kalamazoo Mission, Greenville, Niles, and Vevay 
Circuits, and, lastly, Pipe Creek Mission, where he greatly endeared 



27O HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

himself to his people, and left seals to his ministry. Toward the close 
of the year 1840, while zealously engaged in the labors of his Mission, 
his health failed him, though he did not retire from the work till the 
ensuing session of the Conference, at which time he was compelled by 
affliction to ask for, and obtained a superannuated relation. From 
Conference he returned to his father s house in Hamilton County, 
Ohio, where he continued to suffer, under the ravages of pulmonary 
consumption, until May 1841, at which time he finished his course, 
and calmly fell asleep in Jesus." 

What is more sublime than to see the Christian fall asleep in 
jesus ! Even Stephen, when the shower of stones was falling on 
him, fell asleep in Jesus, and furnishes an instance of sublimity not 
surpassed by any other. The death-bed scenes of Christians and 
Christian ministers, so calm and so glorious as contrasted with the 
departure of the sinner conscious of his condition, become occasions 
of exceeding interest and encouragement to devotion and holiness. 

It is but right to remark here that the course of the Church, in 
this place, in its earlier stages, did not always run smoothly. Some 
dissensions have existed, especially on the subject of Church music ; 
some wishing to have a choir, and others insisting on "lining the 
hymns" and having no choir. Sometimes these dissensions ran so high 
as to alienate brethren, and retard the operations of the Church for 
good. These dissensions, however, have been long since buried, and 
at the present time they are enjoying peace and harmony — loving as 
brethren, and having favor with the people. It is now a wonder that 
there was ever any dissension in any of our Churches on the subject 
of choirs, and, even, organs to lead our Church music. It was con- 
fidently asserted that, if these things were allowed, we should lose 
all our spirituality, and that the glory of the Church, as an instru- 
ment in the conversion of sinners, and the sanctification of believers, 
would quickly depart from us. But these predictions have not been 
realized, for the Methodist Church has never had more power, in 
these respects, than at the present day. 

Other denominations were introduced as the increase of popu- 
lation progressed, and have done their work. There may have been 
a little rivalry between the different Churches at times, but yet, they 
have, in the main, worked harmoniously, and have accomplished a 
glorious work for humanity. It is not specially important to state 
the precise time when these different Churches were organized, and, 
yet, it would be a matter of some interest to some, and we would 
insert these dates only that we have been unable to procure them. 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 2JI 



The different denominations gave in their statistics for 1876 as 
below, viz : 

Methodists 390 

Presbyterians 257 



Baptists 214 

Protestant Episcopalians 341 



In the same year that Niles appears on our Minutes, another 
place, in the eastern part of the State, appears for the first time — a 
place that is worthy of notice here because of several interesting 
incidents connected with it. The very first establishment of Pro- 
testantism in it was an occasion of very great interest. We mean 
Romeo. 

Romeo, a village of considerable notoriety in the northwest part 
of the County of Macomb, was settled, in 1823, by Asahel Bailey, 
Frederick Hoxey, J. C. Hoxey, Albert Finch and Ebenezer Kitridge, 
with their families. These were soon joined by others, making quite 
a settlement in a little time. Its growth has not been rapid but 
steady and healthy. It was made the location of one of the branches 
of the University of Michigan in 1837, an< ^ continued to be such as 
long as that policy continued, and acquired a considerable literary 
fame. The branch of the University was succeeded by the Dickin- 
son Institute, which yielded to the union school in 1867. 

The Methodist ministers, who are always on the alert to find 
and supply every new place, were not unmindful of this new town ; 
so that, within one year from its origin, a Church was organized. 
Rev. Elias Pattee, who was traveling the Detroit Circuit, organized 
a Methodist Society here, consisting of Albert Finch and wife, Joseph 
Freeman and wife, and James Leslie and wife. Joseph Freeman, then 
an aged man, was appointed the class-leader. This was the first 
Christian Church organized in this village. This was done in 1824. 
No other was formed till in 1829, at which time a Congregational 
Church was instituted, consisting also of six members, which, on the 
plan of union, became Presbyterian for a time; and a Baptist Church 
was organized in 1846, consisting of nine members. 

Of the six persons composing the first Christian Church in this 
town, not one remains to the present time. All have passed to their 
reward on high. Albert Finch and his wife both died in the year 
1826 or 1827. They died broken-hearted because their little son 
had been stolen from them by the Indians, and carried away. 

In the year 1826 there was a very powerful and extensive re- 
vival — extensive for the population — in this place. Most of the 
young people were converted, and joined the Church, and became 
useful members of Society. The work commenced under the labors 



272 HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

of Rev. Abel Warren, of precious memory, and it was on this wise : 
He had given out the hymn, 

"Plunged in a gulf of dark despair, 
We wretched sinners lay," &c. 

Two daughters of Captain Gad Chamberlain were standing together, 
and singing, when they came to the words, 

" Oh! for this love, let rocks and hills 
Their lasting silence break," 

the two sisters dropped the book out of which they were singing, 
and fell into each other's arms, and most earnestly supplicated for 
mercy. The feeling became general. The next evening, at a 
prayer-meeting, they both experienced pardoning grace. They both 
became ornaments of the Christian cause. One of these sisters 
married Rev. William T. Snow, who traveled this Circuit in 1829. 
The other married a Presbyterian minister, lived an exemplary 
Christian life, and has gone to her great reward, having died happy 
in the love of God. 

This Church was strengthened, a few years later, by the coming 
of the Hoveys, of John A. Tinsman and family, and others, and by 
the conversion, in 1839, of James Starkweather, Martin F. South- 
well and others. They erected a small church in 1839, and the base- 
ment of it was finished for use in 1842, and the body of the Church 
at a later period. In 1855, under the labors of Rev. George Taylor, 
the Church was enlarged and improved, at a considerable cost. 
Again, in 1867, they expended over a thousand dollars in renewing 
the basement and in other improvements. In the meantime, a par- 
sonage had been purchased. Under the ministry of Rev. James S. 
Smart, the corner-stone of a new church was laid on the 30th of July, 
1872. Bishop Haven officiated on the occasion. This church was 
beautifully finished, and dedicated the next year. 

The little Society planted in 1824 has grown from six to two 
hundred and ninety-one in 1876, besides those who have gone out to 
strengthen the Church in other places, and those who have gone 
over to increase the Church triumphant on the other side of the 
flood. Amono- the latter may be mentioned the original six, John D. 
Holland and wife, Martin F. Southwell, Roxana Starkweather, Sarah 
Ann Tinsman, Angelica Chamberlain, James Starkweather, Mrs. Rev. 
E. H. Pilcher, and many others of whom time would fail us to speak 
more particularly, except one. 

" Mrs. Phebe M., wife of Rev. Elijah H. Pilcher, D. E>., of 
Romeo, died at the parsonage, August 23d, 1866, in the forty- 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 273 

eighth year of her age. She was the daughter of James Fisk, 
Esq., of Coldvvater. Sister Pilcher gave herself to the Saviour's 
service, and united with the Methodist Episcopal Church in Pen- 
field, N. Y., at the age of twelve, and ever maintained her regu- 
lar standing in the Church. In the winter of 1839 and 1840, she 
made a perfect consecration of her heart and life to God, and for 
nearly twenty-seven years consecutively she enjoyed the evidence 
of that perfect love that casteth out all fear. She learned by blessed 
experience that Christians may have a perfect trust in God, and that 
this brings constant peace. For twenty-four years she endured 
without complaint, even gladly, the privations and trials incident to 
the itinerant ministry. Many in the respective fields of labor occu- 
pied during that time, by her husband, will bear witness to the 
purity, wisdom and efficiency of her Christian life ; her chief care 
was to secure the present favor of God by the prompt discharge of 
duty, and all the days of her appointed time to wait until her change 
should come. During her last illness, which was protracted and 
very painful, in patience she possessed her soul, never murmuring, 
calmly saying as she fell asleep, 'Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.' 
This was her last voluntary expression. So die none but those who 
first reckon themselves dead indeed unto sin. In the domestic and 
social relations she was what good natural endowments improved 
by education and early purified by grace, combine to make a true 
woman, a good wife, mother and friend. A bereaved family all 
cherish the hope of meeting her where sin and death are no more." 

"John Russell." 

She folded her arms across her breast and closed her eyes, just 
as if she had gone to sleep. The day before her death she was very 
triumphant, and for a long time shouted the praise of God aloud, 
so as to be heard all over the house. Her last moments were as a 
peaceful sleep, with the smile of heaven on her pale face. 

Various seasons of revival have been enjoyed, out of which 
valuable men and women have been raised up, and some men for 
the work of the ministry. The work has not advanced without its 
contests and its repulses — repulses from the apathy of friends, and 
some times from the defection of those who ought to have been firm 
and reliable ; still the church has grown and become strong. 

Romeo was included first in Detroit Circuit, then in Oakland, 
next in Mount Clemens, and in 1836, it appears in the list of appoint- 
ments with Arthur B. Elliott and Larmon Chatfield as preachers. 
But the name now represented a large district of country ; indeed 
nearly all that is included in a Presiding Elder's District, at the 



274 HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

present time. By the organization of new charges, the work has 
been so narrowed down that it became a Station proper in 1853, an d 
it had now assumed so much importance, Methodistically, as to give 
name to a district; and Romeo District appears in our Minutes, in 
that year, and Jonathan Blanchard was the Presiding Elder, who 
continued for four years. In the enlargement of Districts in 1876, 
Romeo was absorbed in Port Huron, and the name dropped. 

This church has been favored with many seasons of revival — 
many have been converted and added to the church. During these 
seasons some incidents have occurred which may be of some interest 
to record. On one occasion a man became so much wrought upon 
as to way-lay the minister to ask him to pray for him, that is, as the 
church was between his house and the parsonage, he went, at the 
close of the meeting, towards the parsonage and waited till the min- 
ister came along, and hailed him and asked him to pray for him. 
The minister took him home with him and talked and prayed with 
him — he was converted and afterwards became a minister. 

During the winter of 1838-39, when James Shaw and R. R. 
Richards were holding a series of meetings in this village, which re- 
sulted in much good, after some degree of interest had been created, 
a few had been forward for prayers, and some had been converted ; 
one evening a Mrs. Southwell was among the seekers of religion. 
Next morning Mr. Richards heard that Mr. Southwell, her husband, 
was very much enraged, and had made a declaration that in case he 
called Mrs. Southwell forward for prayers again, he would horse-whip 
him. Soon after receiving this information, as he was walking the 
street, he heard some one walking behind him with a quick step. 

In a moment the person came up with him, and he saw that it 
was Mr. Southwell, when the following conversation occurred: — 
" Good morning Mr. Southwell." Mr. Southwell, greatly excited, 
responded, " Good morning," " Fine morning," said Mr. Richards. 
To which, with increased, excitement, Mr. Southwell replied, " Yes," 
and immediately added, " You must not call my wife forward for 
prayers again ; if you do I will horse-whip you." To this Mr. 
Richards simply replied, " I did not speak to your wife about coming 
forward. I gave a general invitation, when she came of her own 
accord. I shall repeat the invitation to-night, and in case she comes 
I should not like to tell her to leave." Mr. Southwell then replied 
" Remember what I say ;" and they parted. Mr. Southwell bought 
his raw-hide, made preparations to execute his threat, and " nursed 
his wrath to keep it warm." 

That evening Mr. Richards gave the invitation as usual, and 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 275 

Mrs. Southwell was again at the altar, deeply distressed on account 
of her sins. Next morning-, as Mr. Richards was walking the street, 
he saw Mr. Southwell making his way across the street after him 
with great rapidity. He was soon by his side. When he came up 
tvith him, Mr. Richards said, " Good morning, Mr. Southwell ; this is 
a lovely morning" — looking, at the same time, how he might ward 
off the blow that he expected would be attempted. Mr. Southwell 
made no reply to the salutation, but walked on with him for some 
distance, and, it is said, he had his whip concealed under his coat. 
At length he said, " Mr. Richards, I should like to have you go with 
me to my house, and talk with my wife." " I thank you," said Mr. 
Richards; "it will afford me great pleasure to do so." 

They immediately turned about, and went in the direction of 
his house. "Surely," thought Mr. Richards, "the lion has become 
changed into the lamb." Mrs. Southwell not being in the parlor 
when they arrived, they sat down and conversed together until she 
came in, though Mr. Richards thought it not advisable to say any- 
thing to him, just then, about his own soul. Presently Mrs. South- 
well came in, whereupon, Mr. Richards, turning to Mr. Southwell, 
said, " If it be your pleasure that I should converse with Mrs. South- 
well, I shall do so, but I do not choose to do so unless it meets with 
your approbation. To this he replied, " It is my desire that you 
should talk with her." Mr. Richards then conversed freely with the 
lady, in his presence, on the subject of salvation, pointing her to the 
Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world, after which 
they engaged in a season of prayer, when he observed that Mr. 
Southwell quickly fell upon his knees, doubtless for the first time in 
the presence of any human being. 

After prayer, Mr. Richards bade them good morning, without 
having said a word to him on the subject of religion. But Mr. 
Southwell followed him out, when he thought it was time to press the 
claims of the Gospel upon him, which he did. He found that, like 
Saul, while "breathing out threatening and slaughter," he had been 
slain by the Spirit — that he had kept up his opposition to God and 
His cause, and his determination to flog Mr. Richards, until about one 
o'clock that morning, at which time he came into his house, having 
been out till that hour engaged in sawing wood, not from necessity, 
but from anger and spite; and frankly confessed to his wife that he 
was a sinner, and must be saved by the mercy of God in Christ 
Jesus, or be lost forever. He and his wife were soon happily con- 
verted, and rejoiced in the knowledge of sins forgiven, and joined 
the Church. 



276 HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

Mr. Southwell lived for several years an ornament to the Church, 
filling the offices of trustee, steward, and class-leader with great 
fidelity and usefulness ; and, though called, in the discharge of his 
duties, to mingle much with the world, having held the office of 
Sheriff of the county for some time, he always maintained a close 
walk with God, and sustained the purity of the Christian character, 
He died, in the full and certain hope of eternal life, in the summer 
of 1844. 

We here introduce a short memorial notice of some of the 
men who have been identified with the work here. Abel Warren 
is a name ever dear to those who knew him. He was known all 
through this region of country as "Elder Warren." His was a 
name that was always pronounced with pleasure, and was a syno- 
nym for sympathy and kindness — a name that will live in the hearts 
of many while they live, and multitudes will come up at the Judg- 
ment to call him blessed. He was called on to bury the dead, and 
marry the living, more frequently than any man in the country during 
his time. 

Abel Warren was born in Hampton, Washington County, New 
York, August 3d, 1 789. He was converted to God, and joined the 
Methodist Episcopal Church in Covington, Genesee County, New 
York, in March, 181 7. He came to Michigan, and settled in the 
town of Washington or Shelby, in Macomb County, in 1824. He 
was licensed to preach at a Quarterly Meeting held in Detroit in 
June, 1825, at which time there were not more than fifteen members 
of the Church present at the love-feast on Sabbath morning. He 
had visited the Territory of Michigan in 1820, and went up as far 
as Pontiac, but did not settle here till the date named. He served 
the Church for several years as class-leader, during which time he 
often felt impressed with a sense of duty to preach. He received 
license to exhort four years after his conversion. He was a soldier 
in the War of 181 2, and was at the battle on Queenston Heights, 
and was wounded and taken prisoner. We will give his religious 
experience in his own words, as he communicated it to us. He 
says : 

" With regard to my religious experience, I have to say that 
I lived a life of sin until my twenty-ninth year ; but, during that part 
of my life, I was often the subject of deep and frequent convictions. 
Sometimes I experienced this when thrown among those who were 
full of frivolity and wickedness, but more particularly in the hour of 
imminent danger. Especially can I call to remembrance the anguish 
of mind that seized me when on one occasion it seemed certain that 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 277 

I was being doomed to a speedy death by being swept over the 
Falls of Niagara. The terrible conviction of my sinfulness — my utter 
inability to stand acquitted before the Almighty, pressed upon me. 
I was overwhelmed at the thought of the folly and wickedness of 
the life I had been living. 

"Also, on another occasion, in 1812, when on the Heights of 
Queenston, approaching the enemy, and when the carnage of battle 
was all around me, my heart was deeply pierced with the arrows of 
conviction for sin. As I heard the terrible exclamations of the 
wounded and dying, calling upon God to have mercy upon them, 
and, for Christ's sake, to save them, and being myself wounded and 
a prisoner, I knew not but that myself, also, was soon to appear 
before the judgment seat of Christ, it affected me very deeply. 

"I continued to be thus convinced of sin, and, yet, striving 
against those convictions, until the morning of February 28th, 181 7, 
when the conflict ended, and I found peace with God. For three 
days previous to this, I had labored under mental agony altogether 
intolerable, and, on the evening of the 27th, I went to the barn to 
pour out my anguish of soul in prayer. On returning to my house, 
like Saul of Tarsus, I fell to the ground, and, for ten or fifteen minutes, 
lay senseless in the public road. At length I arose, and, on reach- 
ing the house, I said to my wife, I am lost forever. But I was not left 
long in this condition. I fell asleep, and, on waking in the morning, 
I found myself at peace with God, and with a heart full of love and 
praise." Thus was he brought into the liberty of the sons of God, 
which liberty he continued to enjoy for a long life. His religion was 
of the cheerful, happy type. 

Mr. Warren always felt and manifested a very warm attach- 
ment to the interests of the Church, and, though no bigot, he always 
labored to promote the interests of this branch of the Church. He 
was a man of very respectable talents as a preacher, but it was his 
warm sympathy which gave him such a strong hold on the affections 
of the people. He always had a tear for the afflicted and bereaved, 
as well as a word of hearty good cheer for the joyous. He was very 
industrious as a preacher, and very useful, having labored so effect- 
ively for the revival interests of this village, at one time, that his 
name deserves to be embalmed in its records. He was the first 
man ever licensed to preach in Michigan. He was a man of sterling 
common sense. Being stricken down with paralysis, he was unable 
to say but a few words, but his reason was unimpaired. A little 
while before his departure — several Christian friends standing near 



2 yS HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

his bed — he manifested a desire to have singing and prayer. They 
sung the hymn commencing : 

"O for an overcoming faith, 
To cheer my dying hours; 
To triumph o'er approaching Death 
And all his frightful powers." 

During the singing, an air of holy triumph, utterly beyond the 
power of language to describe, sat upon his countenance. He 
waved his hand in token of the completeness of his victory. Thus, 
on September 5th, 1863 — 

" Out of his late home, dark and cold, 
He passed to a city, whose streets are gold; 
From the silence that falls upon sin and pain 
To the deathless joy of the angel's strain." 

Such was the end of one of the noblest and best local preachers 
we ever had the privilege of associating with. It was, indeed, a 
privilege to be associated with him; he was so full of love to God 
and man, and of kindly, good words, that one could hardly be with 
him without feeling a strong desire to imitate his Christian virtues, and 
to join with him in his Christian work. His memory is like ointment 
poured forth. 

Rev. Ransom R. Richards, who has already been mentioned in 
connection with a revival scene, died, on the 13th of July, 1872, at 
Hudson, in this State, in the faith and peace of the Gospel. He 
was admitted into the Michigan Conference in September, 1837. 
He was a very active and useful preacher — was successful in Cir- 
cuits, Stations, and Districts as Presiding Elder. Many were con- 
verted to God, and joined the Church, under his ministry. He did 
much for the promotion of the interests of the Church in conducting 
revivals, and building churches and parsonages. He was liberal him- 
self, and succeeded in calling forth the liberality of others for such 
enterprises. He died at his post, having preached in his charge on 
the second of June, 1872, for the last time. In a month and a week 
he died in the midst of his people, mourned and lamented by them 
all. He was a true and noble-hearted Christian gentleman, and a 
reliable friend. His last days were cheered by the consolations of 
that religion which he had so successfully preached to others. Mr. 
Richards was a man of commanding, noble bearing, of fine preach- 
ing abilities, and always true to the interests of the Church, which 
never suffered in his hands. He left a wife and one small child — 
a son. 

It would be interesting, had we space to so devote, to speak of 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 279 

Josiah Breakman and others of the noble men who have labored in 
this charge — who maintained the faith, fought a good fight, and 
finished their course with peace and joy, and have gone to their 
heavenly home. 

The work of a Church is not always to be determined by the 
number included within its fold, for these are constantly changing, 
but by the experience and religious character of those under its 
care, or, more properly, composing its body, and by the efforts made 
to instruct and save the young. Apply these tests to this Church. 
At the time of its organization there was no Sabbath School ex- 
isting, but, for many years past, this work has been actively pros- 
ecuted, with high success. 

According to the last report — for 1876 — there was one school, 
having twenty-seven officers and teachers and two hundred scholars, 
with all the appliances necessary for the interesting and successful 
prosecution of their work. But, in the passing years, this school has 
sent out many to be laborers in other parts of the great field of 
Christian work, and many have been saved from sin. The Sabbath 
School work forms a very interesting feature in its work. 

The number of members and probationers, according to the 
report for 1876, was two hundred and ninety-one, having a church 
valued at $45,000, and a parsonage valued at $1,500. These figures 
show a very successful growth. The other churches have been 
named, but we here subjoin the statistics for 1876. We place them 
in the order of organization. 

Methodists 291 | CoDgregatioDalists 200 

Baptists 120. 

Saginaw is a name which represents a large district of country, 
known as the Saginaw Valley, in which is included the cities of 
Saginaw City, East Saginaw, and Bay City, with a number of vil- 
lages. These cities and villages have grown up very rapidly, and 
have been dependent, mainly, on the manufacture of lumber, and, 
for a few years past, the manufacture of salt has been added to 
that of lumber. The prosperity of this whole region will fluctuate 
according to the state of the lumber and salt market. The agricul- 
tural capacities, which are not supposed to be very promising, have 
not yet been fully developed. Probably, when the lumber material 
has been used up, which will not be for many years yet, they will 
give their attention more to agriculture. For a long time after the 
settlements began in this valley, it was very difficult to reach them, 
as the country south was flat and swampy for many miles, but yet 
the ministers did penetrate the swamps, and carry the glad tidings 



28o HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

to the few people settled here, at a very early day in the settlement. 
Many important Indian councils and treaties were held here. 

In 1832, Saginaw Mission appears in our Minutes, with Brad- 
ford Frazee as preacher. He made some visits to the valley, but 
his labors did not accomplish much ; and the prospect of success 
was so poor, as compared with the labor and expense, that it was 
dropped from the list in the Minutes, and does not appear again 
until the Conference of 1835, when it reappears, with William H. 
Brockway as the preacher. Mr. Brockway included Flint in his 
Circuit, and as many other settlements as he could visit once in 
four weeks. The people were poor, and lived mostly in shanties, 
and the minister found it very difficult to obtain shelter and enter- 
tainment for himself and horse. In 1836, Oscar F. North was the 
preacher, and, in 1837, Charles Babcock was appointed to this charge. 
In 1838, Jonathan Hudson was the minister. He attended to the 
Circuit, which still included Flint, for one year But Flint having 

assumed more importance than Saginaw, the latter was dropped, 
and Flint was substituted for it in the Minutes for 1839. Saginaw 
does not again appear till 1848. It now appears to remain. Soci- 
eties were organized at Saginaw City, East Saginaw, and at Bay 
City; and, as these cities have grown, and the Church has acquired 
sufficient strength, they have been erected into Stations, and the 
villages into Stations and Circuits. For the two years, 1848 and 
1849, Andrew Bell was the preacher in charge, and did good service. 
William Blades — father of Rev. F. A. Blades, so long and active a 
member of the Detroit Conference — a most excellent man, and a 
warm-hearted, sympathetic, good preacher, was appointed in charge 
in 1850, and served them well for one year. For the next year, 1851, 
Carmi C. Olds, a scholarly, excellent man, was appointed, and did 
faithful work for one year. Since then, with the growth and de- 
velopment of the country, the work has regularly expanded, and 
been divided, so that, in this valley, we now have sixteen Circuits 
and Stations and 1,497 members, with several fine and valuable 
churches, and having the necessary appliances for Sabbath Schools 
and other Church work. 

The Detroit Annual Conference has held two sessions in this 
valley. In 1867, lt was magnificently entertained in Saginaw City. 
In 1872, it was held in East Saginaw, and it was entertained to the 
entire gratification of the members of the Conference. Bishop Janes 
presided at the first, and Bishop Ames at the second session. These 
occasions were of great value to our cause in the valley. This 
degree of success has been achieved by much hard toil and many 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 283 

sufferings on the part of the ministers who have been charged with 
the responsibility of carrying forward the cause. 

We must not overlook or ignore the fact that other denomina- 
tions of Christians are here, and have been from a very early time. 
They have their organizations and churches, and are doing a good 
Church work, and are worthy of praise for the efforts they are 
making to evangelize the people. 

It may be expected, doubtless, as it is proper, and may be inter- 
esting, that we should say a few things in regard to the pioneer 
ministers of this valley, although we do not intend any lengthened 
biographical sketch. 

Bradford Frazee, whose name appears in connection with this 
appointment when it first appears in our Minutes, was a young man 
of superior abilities, and he had acquired an excellent education. 
He was, indeed, an elegant and eloquent preacher. Still, he did not 
accomplish anything of importance in this charge. He remained but 
one year. There were some reasons for this want of success. One 
of these was to be found in the character of the population, that is, 
they were lumbermen — scattered in the woods, attending the mills, 
and running logs on the rivers. Men may be good in any morally 
lawful business ; but when we separate men, whether young or old, 
from the associations and influences of home, they will throw off the 
usual restraints of society, and become, comparatively, reckless — 
less inclined to goodness. They become comparatively wild and 
ungovernable. Mr. Frazee was a man of a good deal of refinement 
of tastes and manners, and he found it difficult to adapt himself to 
the circumstances, and so to mingle with the lumbermen in their 
camps as to secure their confidence and good will. He could not 
lodge in their shanties, nor eat muskrats or salt pork with them. 

Another reason was to be found in the fact that he devoted a 
good deal of time away from his charge in wooing and marrying a 
wife. It is lawful for a man to woo and marry, but it may, neverthe- 
less, interfere with his ministerial success for the time being. There 
was philosophy in the Mosaic provision that a man should be exempt 
from going to war for one year after his marriage. If the circum- 
stances of his charge had been such that Mr. Frazee could have 
taken his wife on to it, it would have made a considerable difference, 
no doubt, but he could not have found any home for her, nor 
could he get anything for her support ; he had, therefore, to leave 
her with friends in the older settlements, and that divided his time 
and attention. 

Mr. Frazee continued to labor in connection with the Confer- 



284 HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

ence until 1845, when he located, and went into Kentucky, where 
he and his wife both died, near the same time, a few years after. 
Having located, there is no official memoir from which we can derive 
any information as to the precise time and circumstances of his 
death. 

William H. Brockway, whose name is connected with Sagi- 
naw in its next appearance in the Minutes, is still living, and has 
resided at Albion, under the shadow of the college, for many years, 
has been agent, and trustee, and President of the Board of Trustees 
of the college, and labored in various ways for its interests. Mr. 
Brockway did not confine himself to the Saginaw Valley, but took in 
the nascent village of Flint, and whatever other settlements there 
were in Genesee County. He performed the difficult and arduous 
labor faithfully for one year, and was relieved, and sent to Ypsilanti 
and Huron Mission. He was sent in 1838, to take charge of and 
develop the Indian Mission at Sault Ste. Marie and in the Lake 
Superior country. He was a very laborious and useful missionary 
for several years. For the last few years his health has been 
such that he has had to retire from the active ministerial work, and 
his name stands in the list of superannuates in the Michigan Con- 
ference. 

Mr. Brockway was licensed to preach in the spring of 1833, and 
in the autumn of the same year was admitted on irial in the Annual 
Conference, and appointed to Huron Mission, which embraced the 
country below Ypsilanti, along the river, and extended out to 
Dearborn. He included the settlement of Wyandotte Indians near 
Flat Rock, where he had taught the Mission school the year before. 
He, in due order, was admitted into full connection, and advanced 
to the order of Deacon and Elder. He has done much valuable 
work. 

Oscar F. North succeeded Mr. Brockway. He was a very 
modest young man, and one who did not seem to be very well 
adapted to the rough work of a wild, lumbering region. He was a 
most estimable man, and did very worthy work in the Conference 
for a number of years. He finally located, in 1847, ana ^ settled 
down at Pontiac, where he occupied a good position in the com- 
munity, having filled the office of Judge of Probate for some time. 
He looked well to the interests of the Church in that place while he 
lived. He died in peace and in holy triumph some years ago. 

Charles Babcock, whose name appears as in charge of Sagi- 
naw in the Minutes for 1837, was admitted on trial in the Confer- 
ence in 1836; consequently he had been in the work only one year, 








w^llc^. 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 285 

and was, at the next Conference, appointed to Waterville, on the 
Maumee River, in the edge of Ohio. We do not purpose to trace 
his appointments from year to year. He remained in connection 
with the Michigan Conference till 1844, when he was transferred to 
the Rock River Conference. He continued in the active ministry 
in that Conference till 1849, an ^ tnen located, and disappears from 
our record. He was a man of fair preaching ability and a good 
degree of zeal. His piety was undoubted, and he had ordinary 
success in advancing the cause of true religion. 

In 1838, Jonathan Hudson, an interesting and promising young 
man, just recently from Norwalk Seminary, in Ohio, and of two 
years experience in the ministry, was sent to Saginaw. The Circuit 
still extended southward, so as to include Flint and the surrounding 
•country. Mr. Hudson had a very pleasing address, was very social 
and genial in his manners, and, for many years occupied a good 
position in the Conference, filling some of the first appointments. 
He located in 1847, settling down at Trenton, where he entered into 
business. When the War of the Rebellion broke out, he went into 
the army as chaplain to a regiment of cavalry, and did well. He 
died in peace, in the spring of 1876, after a long and painful sick- 
ness — finally determined to be cancer in the stomach — which he 
endured with Christian resignation. 

It would be a pleasing task to speak of other men who have 
labored in this valley, but we cannot include all, so we have to con- 
tent ourself with these few notices. 

The summary of the different denominations, taken from their 
reports for 1876, in this valley, stands thus: 



Methodist Episcopal 1,497 

Presbyterian 667 

Congregational.... 



Protestant Episcopal 715 

Baptist 838 

406. 



Coldwater, which appears in the Minutes of the Conference as 
the name of a Circuit in 1835, called a Mission, began to be settled 
in the summer of 1831. It was included in Tecumseh Circuit for 
one year, and in Calhoun Mission till this time. Mr. Allen Tibbits 
and Joseph Hanchett planted themselves on a small prairie, and laid 
out a village that summer. The former occupied a rude log house, 
which had been erected by some squatter, and the latter built for 
himself a more pretentious one, though of logs, for the logs were 
larger, and hewed flat, and the house was a story and a half high. 
The next season they were joined by a few more. A store and a 
postofiice were established. Shortly after, the county-seat, which had 
been located at a place called Branch, a few miles southwest and off 



2&6 HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

from the main, or Chicago road, was changed to this place. Mr. 
Tibbits is living, and still resides in this city, but Mr. Hanchett is 
dead, and a memorial notice of him has already been given. From 
such a small beginning, it has grown to have, in 1874, a population 
of 4,330, and was incorporated as a city in 1861. 

The Methodist Society, or Church, was organized in 1832, as 
before stated. In 1835 it received a great accession of strength 
by the immigration of James Fisk, with a large family, and several 
families of Crippens. The place and the Methodist Church had so 
increased that the Annual Conference was magnificently entertained 
by them, in 1844. Bishop Hamline presided, and preached on the 
Sabbath with wonderful power and unction. The Church has been 
favored with many very powerful revival seasons, and they now have 
a beautiful and valuable brick church. It has also given name to a 
Presiding Elder's District. 

Other Churches have been organized as the population increased 
and the exigences seemed to demand, and have erected commodious 
houses of worship. The status of the different denominations in 
the city is as below, viz : 

Methodist Episcopal 476 Baptist 366 

Presbyterian , 255 Protestant Episcopal 140 

There was a time when the Spiritists were quite numerous, and 
had good hopes of carrying the whole place, nearly, or subverting 
or supplanting the Churches. But these hopes of theirs and the 
fears of some timid Christians have not been realized. The cause 
of true piety is constantly on the advance. 

We will regard Coldwater as the representative of the County 
of Branch, and show what is the strength of the denominations in a 
population of 25,726, in 1874, premising that the villages and rural 
districts are well cared for by some or all of these denominations, 
besides some of the minor ones. 

Methodist Episcopal 1,329 Baptist 632 

Presbyterian 396 Congregationalist 238 

Protestant Episcopal 180. 

So much has been said, in other parts of this History, in regard 
to this beautiful city, that it is not necessary to say more here. We 
will be allowed a memorial notice of one who did much for the 
Church in this city at an early day, which we copy from one of the 
city papers : 

"Died. — On the nth of August, 1870, in the City of Coldwater, 
Michigan, at the residence of his son, James Fisk, aged eighty-two 
years. 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 287 

" The deceased was born in Amherst, New Hampshire, August 
4th, 1788. of industrious and pious parents, who, in the strict New 
England manner, attended to the moral and religious education of 
their children. Inheriting an excellent physical constitution, which 
became strengthened by an early life of activity and plain living, he 
developed into a man of rare physical and moral vigor. While yet 
a young man, he left his native State, and removed to Ulster County, 
New York, when in June, 1815, he married Miss Eleanor Ransom, 
the death of which faithful wife and mother preceded his by about 
fourteen years. Although always a believer in the doctrines of the 
Christian religion, he did not yield himself up to the Saviour, and 
receive pardon and converting grace, until he was about forty years 
old, but ever after he appeared to live as one who was 'redeeming 
the time.' 

"This short but comprehensive record of his early history, 
received from members of his family, brings us to the time of his 
removal to Coldwater, in 1835 — a pioneer in the settlement of the 
country. For thirty-five years he has been a faithful witness for the 
Master. The name of 'Father Fisk' — by which he was familiarly 
and widely known — had long since become a synonym for religion, 
with which his whole soul and body seemed to be permeated. 
Although he was a faithful member and founder of the Wesleyan 
Church in this city, yet no Church walls or creed could confine his 
great heart, so full of love for the Saviour and for lost and per- 
ishing men ; he was a welcome guest in all the churches. How 
often have our souls been borne up to the very gates of Heaven as 
we have bowed with him in prayer ! How often have our hearts 
said, God certainly hears such prayers ! He lived by ft-ayer, and 
seemed to be a living example of the injunction, ' Pray without 
ceasing.' He was also a man of great faith ; like Abraham, he be- 
lieved God ; like Stephen, he was full of faith and the Holy Ghost. 
He was also a zealous worker in the vineyard ; rarely, if ever, for 
these many years, has he received and returned the salutations of 
the day, even, without speaking a word for Christ, kindly but earn- 
estly. He ceased not, night or day, to warn the impenitent, and to 
entreat them to be reconciled to God. His theology was of a very 
practical character ; it was reduced to aphorisms and axioms so well 
stated as to need no argument to defend them. He seemed to 
enjoy a perpetual revival of religion ; when others were cold and 
indifferent, he was awake, and full of earnestness and interest. 

14 But the prayers of Father Fisk, like those of David, the son 
of Jesse, are ended. But they are the inheritance of his children 



■288 HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

and of the Church, and have won a revenue of glory for himself, his 
family, the Church, and for many a soul ready to perish. Verily, a 
prince and a good man in Israel has fallen. The loss is ours, but to 
him an abundant entrance has been ministered, with a 'well done, 
good and faithful servant,' into the kingdom of our Lord and Saviour 
Jesus Christ." 

In the list of new appointments in the Minutes in 1837, Marshall 
is found. This place is the county-seat of Calhoun County, is pleas- 
antly located at the confluence of Rice Creek with Kalamazoo River, 
about one hundred and five miles west from Detroit, is situated in 
the midst of a fertile country, and is inhabited by a very intelligent 
and moral population. The first settlement in Calhoun County was 
made here in the spring of 1831. Messrs. George and Sidney 
Ketchum, two brothers, took up the land, and erected a saw-mill 
that spring, but did not bring their families till in August following. 
The first settlers were of the first order of society, and gathered 
around them a similar class of inhabitants, so that this place has 
always held the first rank for morality and intelligence. 

Schools, churches, and other evidences of intellectual and moral 
advancement are to be found, possessing much healthful vigor. The 
population now numbers about 4,700. The growth of this town has 
not been quite so rapid as some other places in the State, not 
because it does not possess advantages in itself, but because the 
county affords so many advantages for building up towns that sev- 
eral rival villages — and one has even attained to the dignity of a 
city — have sprung into active and vigorous life. Still, Marshall 
possesses several advantages which must give it an ultimate triumph 
over them all. It is the county-seat, and it is the half-way place of 
the Michigan Central Railroad, where they have shops for repairs, 
and a dining-house, where all their trains stop. This house has been 
the admiration of all travelers, and has been justly regarded as one 
of the best railway eating establishments in the United States. This 
railroad, by the way, is one of the best constructed, and one of the 
very best managed roads in the whole country. 

We must now pass from this general outline to the religious 
history of this city and vicinity. In August, 1831, Rev. Randall 
Hobart, a local preacher, arrived here, and, on the 14th of this 
month, preached in the log house of Sidney Ketchum, which, by the 
way, had neither doors nor windows, and was only partially floored 
with split plank. This was the first religious service ever held in 
this county. The first families who settled here were Christian 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 289 

people, and commenced to have religious services as soon as they 
arrived. 

At the session of the Ohio Conference in September, 1831, Elijah 
H. Pilcher and Ezekiel S. Gavitwere appointed to Tecumseh Circuit, 
the bounds of which have been described in connection with Tecumseh 
in the general outline, and included this place. About the first of 
October of this year, the preacher in charge, Elijah H. Pilcher, came 
here and preached, which was the first visit of an itinerant preacher 
to the place. He was followed, in two weeks, by his colleague, Mr. 
Gavit. On the sixth day of November, Mr. Pilcher organized the 
Methodist Episcopal Church in Marshall, which, at the time, consisted 
of Randall Hobai't, Ruth Hobart, Sidney Ketchum, Katherine Ketchum r 
Seth Ketchum and Eliza Ketchum; only six. Of these, not one now 
remains here. Seth Ketchum, at the time, was a very old man— was 
the father of Sidney and Eliza — and soon after passed to the rest 
of the Christian. He was not converted till late in life, but became 
very devoted and pious. He lived with his son Sidney. Although 
he came in at the eleventh hour, he has gone to receive his reward 
in Heaven. Sidney Ketchum was a decided and earnest Christian,, 
and very much attached to the Methodist doctrines and discipline, 
and was a man of large and noble plans for good — for the intel- 
lectual and religious elevation of those around him. In consequence 
of his large plans and undertakings, he became very much embar- 
rassed in the financial crash of 1836-38, and found it best to change 
his residence to New York City for a time ; but the people of 
Marshall may say of him, " He hath built us a synagogue;" for, in 
1837, at his instance, a stone church, forty-five by fifty feet, of Gothic 
architecture, was commenced, the basement of which was completed 
for use in 1839. This church cost Mr. Ketchum about six or eight 
thousand dollars. At a later period the same work might have been 
done for much less money, but this does not lessen the amount that 
Mr. Ketchum paid, nor does it diminish the good he intended to do 
for the Church. It was a noble conception, although a little in 
advance of the times. Mr. Ketchum was born in Northumberland, 
New York, January 1797, and died at Marshall, Michigan, September 
17th, 1862. He was a very good man, and commanded tne respect 
of all who knew him. 

Katherine Ketchum, wife of Sidney, was a very intelligent, 
amiable, refined, and deeply pious lady. She was strongly attached 
to the Church of her choice, and was always delighted with its 
prosperity. She was always ready to contribute what she could of 
influence and money for the advancement of the cause of true 



29O HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

Christianity. She died, in great peace, in 1839, respected and la- 
mented by all who knew her. In her death, the Church here lost a 
firm, valuable, and valued friend. Mrs. Hobart, who was a most 
estimable Christian lady, died in great triumph, and passed to her 
heavenly rest in about three or four years after coming here. 

Rev. Randall Hobart was a local preacher of more than ordinary 
ability. He supplied services when the itinerants were not present. 
After the death of Mrs. Hobart, he married a second time, and re- 
moved to California in 1849, where he not only retained his piety, 
but was respected as a local preacher. But we have now lost sight 
of him. 

Eliza Ketchum, a sister of Sidney, withdrew from the Church in 
1832, having lost her spiritual life and enjoyment. Thus this origi- 
nal number has become entirely scattered, but, in the place of these, 
the Lord has raised up a host of others to praise His name, some of 
whom have gone up to sing the song of Moses and the Lamb on 
high, among whom Ambrose M. Phelps may be named, of whose 
life and experience a sketch will be furnished at the end of this 
article ; but a strong body still remains to labor and succeed. 

The first love-feast and communion season ever held in this 
county, was at a two days meeting held by E. H. Pilcher, preacher 
in charge, assisted by Rev. William Fowler, of the State of New 
York, who was an Elder, and consecrated the elements, Mr. Pilcher 
being only a Deacon. This meeting was held in the new school- 
house, not yet finished, June i6th-i7th, 1832. There were but few 
to commune, but they partook of the emblems of the broken body 
and shed blood of the Lord and Saviour with great interest. It was 
a delightful occasion to these few sheep in the wilderness. 

The original six had been strengthened by additions, by letter 
and on trial, so that, at the time of Conference, in September, 1832, 
there were fifteen members. This was a very large increase consid- 
ering the circumstances; for the settlement had been almost depopu- 
lated by the cholera, which had prevailed so fearfully at this place 
during the early summer of 1832. 

The Church here has been visited with many precious seasons 
of revival, by which other denominations have been greatly benefited 
as well as the Methodists. One of the most important of these 
revivals commenced about the middle of December, 1839. Some 
interest had been growing up for some time, and, as the Presiding 
Elder was passing through the city to attend a Quarterly Meeting at 
Battle Creek, and being strongly solicited to return and preach on 
Sabbath evening, he consented to do so. At the close of the sermon, 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 29 1 

being strongly impressed to invite seekers of religion to manifest 
themselves, he gave an invitation to such as wanted religion to rise. 
Several did so, and such was the interest that a meeting was ap- 
pointed for the next evening. So it continued, from evening to 
evening, for three months, during which time the church was lighted 
up every night but one. It was estimated that not less than one 
hundred and fifty professed conversion, and over one hundred united 
with the Methodist Church, on trial. 

Rev. Benjamin Sadzn, a venerable and most excellent man, was 
in charge of the Station, and was assisted much by the Presiding 
Elder of the District, E. H. Pilcher, who was induced to adopt the 
plan of going to his Quarterly Meetings, and then returning here on 
Monday or Tuesday, and remaining as long as he could, and reach 
his next appointment. The Church was greatly strengthened by 
the revival — several valuable and important accessions were made. 
Some of the converts have been transferred to the Church above, 
while others are still on their way. Among the active and successful 
workers at this time may be mentioned Dr. O. C. Comstock and 
wife, Ambrose M. Phelps, Ira Wood and wife, Miss Cornelia Hopkins 
— now Mrs. Comfort, of Kalamazoo, and E. G. Squiers. 

Marshall appears in the Minutes, for the first time, in 1837. 
Previous to this time, except for 1831, as before stated, it was em- 
braced in Calhoun Mission, taking the name of the county rather 
than that of the village. It was made a Station at the Conference 
in September, 1839, at which time Battle Creek Circuit, taking the 
balance of the county and some of Eaton County was formed, and 
was made to appear in our Minutes. 

Marshall also gave name to a District in 1838, which name has 
been substituted, at a later date, by that of Albion, and that, in 1876, 
was swallowed up in the name of Jackson. This was a District in- 
deed, as it regarded the extent of travel. It included the following 
counties, viz: Hillsdale, Branch, Jackson, Calhoun, Ingham, Eaton, 
Barry, Ottawa, Kent, Ionia, Clinton, and Shiawassee, with the west- 
ern half of Genesee, of Washtenaw, of Lenawee, and the eastern 
half of Allegan, that is, twelve full counties and a part of four others, 
being equivalent to fourteen counties. Such was the newness of the 
country and the state of the roads, that the Presiding Elder was 
obliged to travel on horseback altogether, and some portions of the 
time, to be absent from home for four and five weeks at a time. 

The Michigan Annual Conference, having been invited, held its 
session here in 1840. The venerable Bishop Hedding presided. 
This was a time of interest to the people of this, then, beautiful 



292 HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

village. They had not yet completed the body of their church, 
but had arranged temporary seats, and the house was very much 
crowded with interested hearers on the Sabbath. The venerable 
Bishop preached on Sabbath morning with eloquence and great 
power, having for his text: Luke, 24th chapter, verses 46, 47 and 48. 
We shall never forget one remark, which seemed to thrill the whole 
assembly as with a shock of electricity. He had represented the 
Saviour as giving his commission to his disciples to go and preach 
repentance and remission of sins to all nations, beginning at Jeru- 
salem, and then said He, " Go out into the streets and tell them all, I 
have died for them, and, if you meet my murderers, tell them I died for 
them ; if you meet the soldier who pierced my side, tell him I died for 
him." This was delivered with his peculiarly dignified pathos ; and the 
effect was overwhelming. The Conference was well entertained, 
and the session left a fine impression on the public mind. 

The Conference met here again in 1846, Bishop Janes pre- 
siding. Bishop Waugh was also present on the first day of the 
session, and dedicated the church on that day. He was on his way 
to attend a western Conference, and stopped over for one day only. 
The business of the Conference was transacted with a good degree 
of dispatch, and it adjourned in good season. The Conference was 
held here again in 1859, Bishop Janes presiding. 

This charge has been supplied from time to time with some of 
the best talent the Conference afforded, and the Church has grown 
strong, and is attending to the interest of the children and youth by 
keeping a Sabbath School running in excellent order — indeed, they 
commenced a Sabbath School at once, and have always maintained 
one in a very high state of perfection. They have an excellent stone 
church, and a parsonage contiguous to the church. So there is no 
good reason why they should not prosper, and have favor in the 
eyes of all the people. The only thing for them is to maintain the 
true spirit of piety and zeal for the salvation of souls. 

Let us now take a brief review of our own Church. We began, 
in 1 83 1, with preaching in a private house once in two weeks, and a 
membership of only six. Now, in 1876 — forty-five years — we find a 
fine church, valued at $16,000, and a parsonage, valued at $2,000; 
a station, with services twice every Sabbath ; a flourishing Sabbath 
School, and 182 members and probationers. This condition of 
things has not been attained without much toil and patient waiting. 

Rev. John D. Pearce, a Presbyterian minister, settled here with 
his family in the autumn of 1831. He came not as a minister, but 
as a man of business, to engage in business, but he commenced 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 293 

preaching and holding religious services in his own house after he 
arrived, and organized a Presbyterian Church in the summer of 
1832, composed of but a few members. But this Church has grown 
to be a strong and prosperous one, having a membership of 268. 
A Congregational Church was organized in 1869, and now has 79 
members. 

Marshall was desolated by the ravages of the cholera in 1832. 
Mrs. Rev. John D. Pearce, an amiable and valuable lady, was among 
the victims of its power. The first victim was a Mr. Hurd, a young 
man who had gone to Ann Arbor at the time it was raging in 
Detroit, and before it had reached any farther west. At the time Mr. 
Hurd was at Ann Arbor, there was much excitement in regard to it, 
and the military had been called out to guard the roads from Detroit 
to prevent its progress to the village, and many fears were expressed 
in relation to it. It was a common topic of conversation at the hotel 
at which Mr. Hurd put up. He, to make it appear that he was free 
from any apprehensions in regard to it, took a piece of pie in his 
hand, and went around the house, eating a little of it occasionally, 
saying, " I've got the cholera ! I've got the cholera !" He started 
for home, and, in less than forty hours he was a corpse, having died 
of cholera. The scourge passed over Ann Arbor and Jackson, for 
the time being, and settled down on Marshall. Was this a visitation 
of God upon Mr. Hurd for his folly? or was it brought on by his fears 
which he had attempted to keep down by such bravado ? Which- 
soever it was, the lesson which it suggests is important. This was a 
sad time for the few settlers of this new village. It has never since 
been visited by that disease. 

It is proper here to say that other denominations have con- 
tributed, and are still contributing their efforts for the moral and re- 
ligious training and elevation of the people. The Presbyterians, 
Protestant Episcopalians, and Baptists all have large and flourishing 
Societies, besides several of the smaller denominations, so that, 
though we were the first in the field, we have not monopolized it. 

From Marshall, as a starting-point, the work of religion has 
more than kept pace with the increasing population, so that, in every 
new village and neighborhood in the county, a Methodist Society 
has been planted, and is now doing its work, to the glory of God. 

It is time, now, to bring this sketch to a close, and we will do 
so by giving a memorial notice of Ambrose M. Phelps, as before 
promised, without which it would be imperfect. 

This sainted brother was born at Canandaigua, New York. His 
father was a member and leader of the first class formed in the State 



294 HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

of New York, west of Cayuga Bridge. At the age of fifteen, Ambrose 
Phelps entered the army as a musician, and was honorably discharged 
after five years' service. When twenty-six years of age, he was con- 
verted to God, and joined the Methodist Episcopal Church at Canan- 
daigua. Some eight or nine years of his life were spent in Rochester, 
N. Y., where he was a class-leader of uncommon labor and usefulness. 
In 1837 ne emigrated from the latter place into Marshall, from which 
period, to the close of his life, March 8th, 1853, he was, indeed, a pillar 
in the Church of God. He was either class-leader or exhorter or, both, 
for more than twenty years. His public performances, replete with 
clearness and moral power, were always accompanied with the out- 
gushings of a warm and sanctified heart. He never failed to make 
his mark where duty called him to labor. Eternity alone can disclose 
the saving results of his faithfulness. 

Toward the close of his life he joined the Masonic Lodge in 
Marshall, and was made at once, and continued until his death, its 
chaplain. This circumstance is only mentioned that the following 
fact may be better understood. The evening upon which the Lodge 
met occurring upon the same evening with a Church meeting, a 
brother, not a Mason, moved that the Church meeting be held on 
some other evening of the week for the accommodation of Brother 
Phelps, who, it was presumed, desired to attend both meetings. For 
a few moments, Brother Phelps poured upon his brethren such a 
flood of love for them and religion that no doubt was left, if indeed 
any ever existed, that Christ and His Church took precedence, with 
him, of everything else. He insisted that the change should not be 
made — " though," he added, " I love you more for having offered to 
do so." The following obituary appeared in the Marshall papers at 
the time of his decease : 

" Died. — In this village, on the morning of the 8th, Ambrose 
M. Phelps, in the fifty-seventh year of his age. 

"The decease of this estimable citizen has made a wide chasm, 
not only in his family, but in the Church to which he was attached, and 
of which he was an honor. He was born in Canandaigua, Ontario 
County, New York. He emigrated into this State in 1837, resided 
one or two years in St. Joseph County, and, from the elapse of that 
period, he has lived in this village. He was an active and exemplary 
member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and, for depth of piety 
and Christian sacrifices and labors, he had no superiors. For months 
preceding his decease he had led the devotional exercises of the 
African Church of this village, and, indeed, was suddenly seized with 
illness, which terminated his life, at that church, one week ago last 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 295 

Sabbath. He had a clear and discriminating mind, a warm and 
generous heart, and a benevolent sympathy, which enabled him to 
look upon and treat every man as his brother, irrespective of color 
or condition. His loss to his family is irreparable. His brethren 
rejoice, amid their tears, that their brother's conflicts are ended, and 
that he is now enjoying, in all its fullness and fruition, ' the rest of 
of Heaven,' upon which he was wont rapturously to address them." 

We are mainly indebted to Dr. O. C. Comstock, of Marshall, 
for this sketch, although we knew him personally. 

Marshall was incorporated as a city in 1859, and, according to 
the census of 1874, has a population of 4,623, being 302 less than 
that of 1870. It is a very interesting and important locality. The 
educational interests are very thoroughly promoted and cared for, 
although the aspirations and expectations at one time indulged have 
never been realized. Marshall College was once chartered, and, 
under the leadership of Rev. John P. Cleveland, a preparatory de- 
partment was opened, and high expectations were indulged that a 
college would be established and maintained under the fostering 
care and patronage of the Presbyterian Church. The enterprise, 
however, was never fully inaugurated, and all the hopes built upon 
it have fallen to the ground. 




296 HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 



CHAPTER XII. 

Adrian — First Preacher — First Church — Additions — J. W. Finley — School-house — Preaching 
on Sabbath — Davidson and Wiley — Revival — Nathan Comstock — Aunt Kitty — Appears in 
Minutes — Church — Parsonage — F. A. Blades — Revivals — Remarkable Manifestations — 
Baptism — Addison J. Comstock — Others — Another Revival — Millerism — S. C. Adams- 
Second Church — •Difficulties — Opposition — J. A. Kellam — Minister Flogged — Trap — Ira 
Bidwell — Milton Foot— Thomas Fox— J. V. Watson— Sabbath Schools— Other Churches — 
Work in the County — Numbers — Property — Camp Meeting — Devil's Lake — Pontiac — 
Infidel Club — Mock Baptism — Death of Administrator — D. LcRoy — First Preacher — 
Baughman — Small Societies — Station — Churches — Property — McConnell — Revival — Bad 
Policy — Name — Donation Chapel — Defections — Other Churches — Troy — Summary — Jacokes 
— Conclusion — Statistics — Port Huron — Methodist Society Organized — Church Built — 
Congregational Church — Protestant Episcopal — Bishop Waugh — Revival — Parsonage — 
District — Statistics— German Society — -Fish — Grand Rapids — Appears in Minutes — O. 
Mitchell — In Ann Arbor District — Marshall District — Frees and Chatfield — Camp Meeting 
— Lyons — Wants Met — Jacob Dobbins — Danger — Ionia — Defection — Revivals — Immersion- 
ists — Singular Incident — L. Chatfield — A. Staples — Incident — Society Organized — Unsuit- 
able Appointment — Frees — Review — Bad Policy — Progress — Change of Policy — Progress of 
Settlement — Special Attention to the Rapids — Anecdote — Increase — Station — F. A. Blades — 
Revival — Second Charge — Numbers — Property — Other Denominations — Atwater — Flint — 
Schools — First Preacher — First Society — Brock way's Account — First Quarterly Meeting — 
First Sacrament — Appears in Minutes — Church — W. Blades Licensed — Station — Church 
Burned — Second Church — Other Churches — Conference Sessions — Statistics — Rev. W. Blades 
— Lee. 

^BWP^DRIAN appears in our Minutes of appointments first in 
1837, an d was then an extensive Circuit. Who has not 
heard of Adrian ? It is a flourishing city, the county- 
seat of Lenawee County, containing a population of 
about 10,000. It is well situated, healthy and pleasant; 
contains an active, enterprising and intelligent population. 
It was founded by Addison J. Comstock, in 1827, and incorporated 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 297 

as a city in 1853. Mr. Comstock located his land in 1826, and having 
erected his shanty, removed his family into it in 1827. Though a 
professed infidel, in the seclusion of the wilderness, the visits of 
the ministers of the Cross were cheering to him. A few families 
settled here also in 1827. While Mr. Comstock and his associates 
were yet living in their rude cabins, Rev. John Janes, a minister of 
the Methodist Episcopal Church, came, and preached in the house 
of Mr. Noah Norton. This occurred in the autumn of 1827. He 
was the first minister of any denomination who visited this place. 
The settlement was then so small, and separated so much from 
other settlements, that it could not be taken, regularly, into any 
Circuit. 

Mr. Janes was succeeded, at irregular intervals, by others, until 
in the spring of 1830, when Rev. Jacob Hill, a member of the Ohio 
Annual Conference, who was supplying Monroe Circuit, made a 
regular appointment, coming once in four weeks. He organized the 
first Christian Church — a Methodist Episcopal Church — of the place 
in the summer of that year, that was, in the summer of 1830. This 
Church consisted, at the time of its organization, of the following 
persons, viz : William Barrus and wife, Americus Smith, and John 
Walworth and wife — only five. William Barrus was a local preacher 
of considerable talent, and Americus Smith a licensed exhorter 
of considerable power. These original five have all passed away. 
These were reinforced, in September of 1830, by Milton Foot, a 
local preacher, Lois Foot, Pharez Sutton, Hannah Sutton, Samuel 
Gregory, Ada Gregory, and Altha Spink, all of whom were active 
and influential Christians. 

At the session of the Ohio Conference in September, 1830, 
Rev. James W. Finley was appointed to Monroe Circuit, which in- 
cluded Adrian, and he made his visits here regularly, once in four 
weeks, on a week-day evening. Adrian had not yet assumed much 
importance. These visits were made at a great expense of time 
and labor ; but these were regarded as nothing when the spiritual 
interests of the people were involved. Mr. Finley was a noble- 
spirited man, and ardent in his Christian work, "not counting his 
life dear unto himself" if he could but win the people to Christ. 
He finally fell a martyr to his work. (See Monroe^) 

In September, 1831, Tecumseh Circuit is made to appear in 
our Minutes, which included Adrian ; but as Adrian was then much 
inferior to Tecumseh in population, Adrian had to be put off with a 
week-day evening appointment. Elijah H. Pilcher and Ezekiel S. 
Gavit were the preachers this year. There being two of them, and 



298 HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

each coming around once in four weeks, furnished preaching once 
in two weeks, but only on a week-day evening. The services con- 
tinued to be held in private houses until in the winter of 183 1-2, 
when a frame school-house was built and opened. As soon as this 
house was completed, Mr. Pilcher and his colleague occupied it for 
preaching. This school-house continued to be occupied for religious 
worship until the different denominations erected houses for them- 
selves. It has since been perverted to the profane purpose of shoe- 
ing horses. 

In the autumn of 1832, Tecumseh Circuit was so changed and 
arranged as to supply preaching at Adrian once in two weeks on 
the Sabbath. This was an important advance movement. Rev. 
James F. Davidson was appointed in charge, with Thomas Wiley as 
his colleague. This was the first appearance of Mr. Davidson in 
Michigan from Ohio, having been in the ministry one year. Under 
the labors of these zealous and indefatigable young men, a very 
gracious revival of religion occured in the spring of 1833. Many 
in the village and surrounding country were converted, and added 
to the Church. This was a very valuable work, and added much 
strength to the cause. This work extended to all the settlements 
adjacent to the town, and was one of very great interest. 

Among those converted at this revival were two persons very 
opposite in every respect, and are worthy of notice here. NatJian 
Comstock and Catherine Fay. Nathan Comstock was a well educated 
and talented man, who had been brought up a Quaker, and was a 
birthright member of the Society of Friends. He became deeply 
and thoroughly convinced of sin, and of his utter ruin without Christ 
as his Saviour. Under the influence of this conviction, he sought 
and obtained a clear witness that he was adopted into the Divine 
family. It was, indeed, an interesting scene to see this noble-looking 
man bowing as a penitent, and pleading for mercy; and still more 
interesting to see him rise, with a countenance radiant with joy, to 
testify to the love of God in Christ Jesus. He immediately united 
himself to the Methodist Church. He was licensed to exhort, and 
became a zealous, active and useful member. After a few years, he 
returned to the State of New York, where, amongst his old friends 
and associates, he maintained a good profession. A single case 
like this is a recompense for much labor and toil. 

Perhaps the most remarkable case of conversion which occurred 
at this time, or even since, was that of Catherine Fay, a widow, lately 
from Ireland. She had been educated in the Romish Church, and, 
withal, was not able to read. She was a strong Roman Catholic, 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 299 

and was born in the County of Limerick. In her early youth she 
had attended Methodist meetings a few times, and had learned one 
of their hymns, which begins — 

"And let this feeble body fail. " 

She came to America in 1823, and to Adrian in 1831. During the 
meeting held by Mr. Davidson, as above, an Irishman went to her 
house and asked her to attend meeting that evening; to which she 
replied that she did not know whether she would or not. He said 
she had better, as an Irishman was to preach — Mr. Davidson is 
Irish. She went to the meeting, but hid herself behind the door in 
the school-house. During the evening, Mr. Davidson, who is a fine 
singer, sung the above hymn. This affected her very deeply. When 
the invitation was given for persons to come forward to seats pro- 
vided for seekers of religion, she went, or, at least, she found herself 
there without knowing how she got there, her feelings had become 
so intense, so overwhelming. She felt she was alone in this world, 
and "without God," and without hope. A sense of her guilt came 
upon her with great force, and pressed her down with agony and 
grief. In her distress, she cried unto the Lord, and he heard her, 
and delivered her from all her fears. Before the meeting closed 
that night, she felt she was a new creature in Christ Jesus, but did 
not receive a clear witness of it until some time after, while attending 
a Camp Meeting near Clinton. While there, the evidence became 
so clear to her that she never afterwards doubted her conversion. 

When she went home from that first meeting, in the school- 
house, she was very strongly assailed by the temptation that she had 
done wrong, as she was a Catholic, and all her ancestors had been 
so before her. Under this influence she fell on her knees before the 
Lord and prayed ; which was a very right thing for anyone to do. 
Her soul became so earnest that she prayed so loud as to wake up 
her son, a small boy, but she prayed on until she found a satisfactoiy 
answer that she had done right. What but the Spirit of God could 
have led her to this ? She had often felt convicted for sin and was 
often made unhappy by a sense of her guilt. She had not gone to 
the priest for a long time, feeling he did not afford her the comfort 
she wanted, but now she found what she had long desired in vain, 
peace of conscience. 

"Aunt Kitty," as she was familiarly called, was in some respects 
a very remarkable woman. She was entirely without education — 
could not even read, and yet she would pray in social meetings with 
very great correctness and propriety ; and would sometimes exhort 



300 HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

with great power and effect. She was very highly respected by the 
wealthiest families in the Church. For many years she adorned the 
doctrine of God our Saviour, and died in peace but a few years since. 

Adrian remained in connection with the Tecumseh Circuit until 
September, 1837, when it was made a Station, and John H. Pitezel 
was appointed to it. The county-seat had been removed from Te- 
cumseh to Adrian by act of the Legislature, in 1836, making Adrian 
the more important town. Eleazer Thomas appears in our Minutes 
as the preacher for 1838, but he did not come to it, having been ap- 
pointed to a charge in the Genesee Conference at the same time. 
The Presiding Elder, Henry Colclazer, transferred Oliver Burgess 
from Dexter to this place, and he filled out the year, with a fair de- 
gree of success. 

The project of building a church, a thing very much needed, 
was set on foot in 1838, but the church was not completed, except 
the basement, until ^40. This church, though considered large and 
commodious, has given place to a much larger and more imposing 
structure, beautifully and tastefully finished. This latter was under- 
taken and carried through by the enterprise of F. A. Blades, who 
was stationed here in 1862, 1863, 1864 — three years — and then was in 
charge of the District for three years. A comfortable parsonage was 
built in the summer of 1845, under the administration of E. H. Pil- 
cher, who was the pastor from 1844 to 1846. This, too, in time, was 
displaced by a much larger one, which has since been disposed of. 

There have been several seasons of very great revival in con- 
nection with the labors of this Church. Nearly every year of its 
history has been distinguished with gracious manifestations, but some 
years have been much more marked than others. Some of these 
seasons we will notice. . One of these occasions was in the winter 
and spring of 1842, under the pastoral labors of Rev. James V. Wat- 
son. This was a remarkable one, because of the manifestations of 
Divine power among the people. Many were prostrated and would 
lie for a long time without the power to move, and when they came 
to be able to speak, uttered the most joyful expressions. It was not 
simply the most excitable persons that were affected in this way, but 
all classes irrespective of age or sex. Many were converted and 
added to the Church. 

There were meetings held in the Baptist Church at the same 
time, attended with considerable success, and the minister of that 
Church thought it advisable to make the subject of immersion very 
prominent by dwelling much on it, and insisting strongly that that 
was the only baptism. The matter assumed so much importance 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 3OI 

that Mr. Watson concluded to preach a sermon on the subject, and 
did it in such an effectual way that it put an end to the controversy 
for the time being. The spiritual baptism was very wonderful and 
glorious, and such as should have stopped all caviling. 

There was one case of conversion which occurred during this 
revival which is worthy of being recorded with some degree of ex- 
tension. The subject of it was the original proprietor of the town, 
who was educated an orthodox Quaker, his father being a preacher 
in that denomination, but the younger man had first become a Uni- 
versalist in belief, from which he easily and naturally glided into open 
infidelity. He had become a ridiculer — a scoffer at religion, though 
he had often been impressed with a sense of his need of it, but these 
impressions had as often been thrown off. He was emphatically a 
man of business and of the world. With the growth of the town and 
of the county at large his property had increased in value until he 
was regarded as being worth several hundred thousand dollars. He 
had at different times held important positions in the affairs of the 
State. He was a member of the Legislature when it was deter- 
mined to sell out the railroads to companies, and advocated and 
sustained that important measure — a measure the wisdom of which 
has been fully sustained by the results. He was one of the com- 
pany which projected and built the first thirty miles of railroad ever 
constructed in the West — from Toledo to Adrian — a most valuable 
enterprise for this town, and indeed of great value to all the West. 

He has not always been successful in business, for in two sev- 
eral attempts at banking he suffered much loss of property and of 
reputation, especially in the last case. He was for some time Presi- 
dent of the Erie & Kalamazoo Railroad Bank, in which he suffered 
himself to be drawn on to an over-issue, and to place so much con- 
dence in one of the principal stockholders, that when the bank was 
threatened with embarassment, he allowed him to take a large 
amount of the securities to negotiate in New York, from which the 
bank never realized anything, and when the bank failed, though he 
had ceased, some time before, to hold any real relation to it, he had 
to stand the burden, both pecuniarily and as to reputation. In this 
last case, he was the victim, and gave up all his property, and was 
so completely crippled that he never recovered in property, but he 
had the confidence of the general public as to his integrity and 
honesty. 

During the progress of the revival under the labors of Mr. 
Watson, in the spring of 1842, this gentleman, although he had 
studiously avoided attendance at the meetings, became very power- 



302 HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

fully awakened to a sense of his sinfulness and danger. So dis- 
turbed were his feelings that he determined to leave the place for a 
time, to seek relief in retirement from the scene of action, hoping 
that the excitement of the meeting might pass away, and, with that, 
quiet be restored to his mind. For that purpose, he took his wife 
into a carriage, and drove, that day, about fifty miles into Calhoun 
County, under pretense of having business which demanded his 
attention. He found no relief in this way ; his feelings became 
more and more disquieted as he advanced, and that first night away 
an impression came over his soul as if a voice had spoken to his 
ear, This is the last call. With this impression on his mind, the next 
morning he started, and hastened home ; went to the church that 
night, and, as soon as the opportunity was given for penitents to come 
forward, he went forward for the prayers of the Church. This kind 
of movement was contrary to all his education and former notions 
of right and propriety; but he felt that he was a sinner condemned 
to death, and must find relief, if possible. He had not been at the 
altar of prayer long before he fell prostrate to the floor, and lay, for 
some time, insensible to everything around him. When he came to 
himself, he began to shout aloud the praises of God through Christ 
Jesus as his Saviour. So clear and powerful was the change in him 
that all could see it. So clear was the evidence of his pardon and 
adoption that we have often heard him say, "Whatever may become 
of me, I know that the religion of Christ is true, and that I have 
been converted to God." For weeks after his conversion, he could 
scarcely give any attention to business. He became a very earnest 
and active Christian for many years. 

In consequence of his business embarrassments from the failure 
of the bank last named, he, under erroneous advice, chose to occupy 
a very retired position in relation to the cause of religion. It cer- 
tainly is a great mistake, when a man fails in business, especially 
through the latches of others, to retire from the duties and privileges 
of that holy religion which they then specially need. He did not, 
by any means, give up his trust in God, nor his private and family 
devotions. These he continued to observe as diligently as ever ; 
but he did seclude himself, to a large extent, from the associations 
and fellowships of the Church. The members of the Church should 
not have allowed that. They ought to have taken the more pains 
to sympathize with him, being willing to bear a part of a brother's 
reproach. 

Mr. Addison J. Comsfock, of whom we have been speaking, was 
a small, unpretending man in his personal appearance, but he had 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 303 

a fine intellect and a large, noble heart, and the Lord delivered him 
out of all his troubles. In his last years, he came again into closer 
union with the Church of his choice. His death, when it came, was 
very sudden. On a Sabbath, he had been at church, attended class- 
meeting, and testified to the power of God to save, and went home, 
rejoicing in God. He sat down in his easy chair, and his wife 
stepped out for a moment to look after some refreshments, and 
when she returned he was dead, sitting in his chair. To him, the 
step from earth to Heaven was a very short one. 

There were other valuable conversions and additions to the 
Church, some of whom remain steadfast in the faith, while some 
have gone back to the " beggarly elements of the world," and some 
have been called from "labor to reward" — have been transferred to 
the Church above. 

The next season of extensive spiritual revival occurred under 
the labors of Rev. John A. Baughman, who was stationed here in 
September, 1842. He succeeded Mr. Watson. He entered on 
his labors with his usual energy and activity. He remained in the 
Station till October, 1844, and, during the winter of 1842-43, he had 
the pleasure of seeing many profess religion, and unite with the 
Church. This revival, though vastly more extensive as to numbers 
than the former, was not as permanent among those generally who 
professed to be converted, yet, during this revival, several active 
young men were converted, who have since entered the ministry. 
Among these was Andrew Bell, still a member of the Detroit Con- 
ference, though he has been on the superannuated list for a number 
of years. It will be remembered by some that the country was all 
excited by the calculations of a Mr. Miller, of New England, that the 
world was to come to an end in 1843. Many, very many, who re- 
jected the notion, felt it might be so, and it was best to prepare for 
it; and, having no higher view of a Christian's experience and life 
than simply to get ready to die, when the apprehended danger was 
past, they forgot their vows. Under this feeling of apprehension, 
they thought it advisable to seek for the consolations of religion. 
Multitudes flocked to the Church for refuge at this time. This is a 
false view of a religious experience and life. A higher view must 
be in the mind — to become holy — to glorify God — to do good — be- 
fore a genuine experience can be secured. When, then, the time 
had passed, and "all things continued as they were before," many 
relapsed into their old ways, reminding one of what is said of the 
aborigines of one portion of South America, who, when there was 
an eclipse of the sun, would bring their offerings, make their vows 



304 HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

of devotion and of a good life, if their god would only spare the 
life of the sun, and then, when the eclipse was over, they would re- 
turn to their old practices, and say their god must be very foolish to 
think they had any intention of doing as they promised. This back- 
sliding was not any fault of Christianity, but occurred in spite of its 
teachings. Notwithstanding these drawbacks on the general per- 
manency of the work, it was still a deep and extensive revival, and 
resulted in much permanent good. 

Another occasion of special and extensive outpouring of sacred 
influence was in the spring of 1856, mainly in the month of March. 
The pastor, Rev. A. J. Eldred, had secured the assistance of Rev. 
S. C. Adams, an eccentric, yet very good and efficient laborer. He 
was a local preacher from western New York. He labored with 
great earnestness, laying the truth on the conscience in a very plain 
way. The excitement was very intense — the church was crowded 
day and night — the whole city became enlisted for and against his 
labors. His manner of labor was peculiar, and some people took 
great exceptions, and set themselves against the work as conducted 
by him. Had it not been for this kind of opposition, the work 
would have been much more extensive. As it was, there was over 
one hundred united with the Methodist Church, most of whom re- 
mained faithful. 

It is proper here to remark that in the summer of 185 1 it was 
considered desirable to organize a second Methodist Church here, 
which was done with very nattering prospects; but those prospects 
have never been realized. The town has not grown as rapidly as 
was anticipated, for one reason, and various others operated to 
prevent the success of the enterprise. So, in the spring of 1858, 
this second Church disbanded, a part of the members returning to 
the old Church, and a part of them remaining outside the fold 
altogether. 

It is not to be supposed that this Church has always moved on 
without any friction any more than others. Church music has been 
made the occasion of some unpleasantness ; renting, or selling of 
pews, a steeple and bell, have had their times of calling up the feel- 
ings of the heart. But, with all these, there have been no disastrous 
disturbances and no ruptures. 

Neither have they always met with the approval of the world ; 
if they had, they would not have fulfilled their high mission — they 
have had opposition to meet with from the world. While human 
nature remains in possession of its present characteristics, "fightings 
without and fears within" will be the common lot of the Christian 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 305 

Church. It cannot be expected that the enemy of all good will be 
inactive while the ministers of the Cross are laboring with zeal and 
success to spoil his house. Hence opposition, such as dares to be 
made in this country, has sometimes showed itself in this place, 
although it has seldom broken out into any considerable degree of 
violence. There is one incident, however, which ought to be named ; 
the parties to it v/e will not name, except the minister. 

Rev. James A. Kellam, a man of considerable talent and of zeal 
for the cause of Christ, was stationed here in the autumn of 1839. 
In the winter, perhaps in January, 1840, he held a series of meetings 
in the basement of the church, as the main audience-room was not 
yet finished, which resulted in a good degree of success. These 
meetings were often disturbed by the rude conduct, developed in 
various ways, of several young persons, just budding into manhood 
and womanhood. Reproof had been administered to them, gently 
and kindly, without any effect. Upon consultation, it was determined 
to obtain a list of their names, and to publish them before the con- 
gregation, if they did not desist after having given them due notice 
of the design. Names were taken and notice given ; but the annoy- 
ance continued. So, at the close of a meeting, the minister read 
off a list of the disturbers. This was too much for them to endure 
quietly. They must be avenged on the preacher. The next even- 
ing, as he was going from his house to the church, which stood very 
near, just a little before time to begin service, he was attacked by 
several young women — perhaps some of them were men in women's 
clothes — with rawhides. They evidently designed to nog him well ; 
but, being fleet of foot, and not having any relish for that kind of 
sport, he soon left them behind. He did not suffer much violence ; 
but it was all the same as far as their design was concerned. His 
flight was so precipitate that he was not able, positively, to identify any 
of them. Some who were believed to be engaged in this affair were 
arrested, the next day, and brought before a justice of the peace; 
but, as they went directly to a dancing-party, which had evidently 
been arranged as a part of the programme, when they were brought 
before the court, as he could not positively identify any of them, nor 
swear positively as to the hour at which the whipping occurred, they 
proved an alibi, and so escaped. The community, however, very 
readily fixed their minds on the perpetrators of the outrage. 

In a short time after this occurrence, one of the young women, 
who was believed to be engaged in this matter, sent a request to the 
minister, saying she would like to see him alone about this matter ; 
she said she would not state what she knew in relation to it in the 



306 HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

presence of any one, but she would state it to him alone. He sent 
back a message that he would not see her alone, but would see 
her only in company with some one else. They did not meet. In 
less than nine months that young woman became a mother without 
having a husband. Had the minister visited her as she requested, 
it can easily be imagined what the result would have been — how the 
minister would have been accursed and ruined. No serious disturb- 
ance has occurred since. 

There are many interesting cases, both of men and women, who 
have been connected with this Church, which it would be pleasant, 
and, perhaps, profitable to introduce ; but, among the laity, we must 
content ourself with one in addition to those already named. There 
are many which would show the power of grace to purify, save, and 
sustain ; however, this additional one must suffice. 

Ira Bidwell, a private member of this Church, has figured so 
largely in the financial affairs of this city and the Methodist Church 
in it, that we introduce a short sketch of his life. He was regarded 
as one of the wealthiest men belonging to the city, and, probably, 
during his residence here, he had a larger money income than any 
other citizen. He was a man of respectable abilities, having but a 
very limited education. 

When he was about twenty years of age, his father told him he 
might shift for himself, if he chose, or, if he would remain with him a 
few years longer, he would try to help him to a piece of land. His 
father was poor, and the prospect of help was very unpromising. 
He decided to shift for himself then, rather than to wait. He taught 
school, for a short time, and acquired seven dollars. His education 
was too limited to do much in this line. With these seven dollars, 
he determined to build his fortune, which he succeeded in doing 
most admirably. With this first acquisition, he went to the City of 
Rochester, where he made a small purchase of goods, getting a little 
credit, and started out as a hand-peddler through the city. In this 
he succeeded well. The next winter he spent mostly at school, to 
increase his limited stock of learning. On the opening of spring, 
he started out on a rather larger scale of peddling, having purchased 
a horse and an old wagon. This he continued for a short time, 
and then commenced business in Bergen, New York. Here he 
married, and remained one year. From thence he went to Brock- 
port for a short period. Then he went again to Rochester, to open 
trade, and remained a year or a little more. At one of these busi- 
ness points, no matter which, he took in a partner. They had a 
good business, but when they came to reckon up, settle and divide 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 2>°7 

the profits, he had gained nothing, though his partner, as poor as 
he at the beginning, was able to build himself a fine house. He 
eschewed partnership after that. 

While in Rochester, Mr. Bidwell laid the foundation for all his 
real prosperity; for it was here that he and his wife both consecrated 
themselves to the service of God, and experienced religion, under 
the labors of Rev. Glezen Filmore, in 1830, and connected themselves 
with the Methodist Episcopal Church. His conversion was clear, 
and took place as he was passing from his house to his barn. He 
had declared his purpose and desire to be a Christian, but was beset 
with an unwillingness to give himself up to Christ ; but now he 
yielded all, and in a moment was filled with peace. Now, having 
become a Christian, he determined to do business on Christian prin- 
ciples. He started out with these three words for his motto, to 
wit, " Honesty, perseverance, economy!' He believed that by observ- 
ing these three things he should succeed. He included liberal con- 
tributions for the support of the Gospel and for the benefit of the 
deserving poor, under the head of Honesty. 

The first eight years of his business life, that is, after he had 
married, he gained only $2,200. It was with this sum as a capital 
that he came to Adrian in the autumn of 1836. He opened business 
here, at first, by selling at auction. Not having obtained a license 
as a merchant, as the law then required, the men in trade, being 
offended at his interference with their business, had him fined for it 
This excited the sympathy of the people in his favor, and proved to 
be a great advantage to him in the end. He had not intended to 
transfer his whole business here until the next spring, but this affair 
determined him to bring all his interests here at once. So he flung 
his flag to the breeze, and set out in trade with a full stock of goods, 
for the times. 

During the first three years he was in business here, he made 
a clear profit of twenty-seven thousand dollars, over and above the 
support of his family; and, in one of these years, his profit was 
eleven thousand dollars. These are small profits as compared with 
what he received at a later date. But we are to remember that 
$2,200 had gained for him, over and above the expense of his family, 
a clear sum of $27,000 in three years, an enormous profit for the 
amount invested. His piety has been uniform and constant, and his 
attendance on the social means of the Church did not diminish ia 
consequence of his having increased in wealth. 

Like other men who have succeeded in business, he had to meet 
with opposition, and by some he was called hard-hearted ; but those 



308 HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

who knew him intimately, knew that he contributed large amounts 
for the benefit of the poor. He did not hand it out indiscriminately, 
but he selected his own objects of charity. It is but just to say that 
Mrs. Bidwell adopted the same motto with her husband, and well 
sustained her part in relation to it. They harmonized perfectly in 
this matter. How many an industrious and faithful man has been 
rendered bankrupt by the want of economy and perseverance on 
the part of his wife ! Mrs. Bidwell died a very triumphant Christian 
death, about 1862. 

We have introduced this case for two reasons. One is, because 
with his coming to this place a new aspect was given to business 
here. Goods were sold cheaper, and produce brought a higher 
price than before, which gave new life to business, and soon created 
the reputation of the town for commerce, which was greatly to the 
advantage of the town. The other is to show the connection be- 
tween a liberal support of the institutions of Christianity and pros- 
perity in business. We remember very distinctly having heard him 
make the following remark to a young man who was hesitating 
about renting a pew in the church. The rent was to apply on a 
debt on it. "Take care, my boy; there will be a falling off in your 
business this year. I have always considered what was given for 
the cause of religion as money at interest." He said he never 
accumulated money for the sake of the money itself, but as a means 
of doing good. When property came into his hands, he felt himself 
bound to take care of it, and not waste it, and to have it at com- 
mand, as the Lord might make drafts on him for it. This was his 
own view of the property which came into his possession. He was 
a faithful steward of what was committed to his care, and, yet, with 
some there was a doubt as to the correctness of taking as high 
interest, as he sometimes did, for money loaned. 

In the progress of building the church here, which was com- 
menced in 1838, the subscription was exhausted before the base- 
ment was finished, and there appeared to be no prospect of ever 
finishing it. At this juncture he came forward, and advanced the 
means to finish it, to the amount of three thousand dollars, and took 
a mortgage payable in ffleen years. He intended, as he told us 
once, to have donated the whole amount, after having received the 
interest for three or four years, but some of the members thought 
he wished to make a speculation out of the church, and insisted 
on having the matter closed up, which was done by selling the 
pews. At the sale, he took about twelve hundred dollars worth 
of them, so as to extinguish the debt. For these pews, he made 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN, 309 

no effort to collect rent, but allowed people to occupy them as free 
seats. 

Mr. Bidwell was mortal, and had his defects, still he hoped, 
through faith, to prove victorious at last, and gain the eternal rest 
provided for the pious in Heaven. For the last ten years of his 
life, he resided at St. Paul, Minnesota, to which place he had trans- 
ferred his business interests. Here he fell asleep in Jesus, as we 
trust, in 1876. 

Rev. Milton Foot was one of the early members of this Church, 
having come into the country, and identified himself with this So- 
ciety, in the fall of 1830. He died in the town of Adams, Hillsdale 
County, Michigan, November 13th, 1842, aged 53 years. He was 
brought to experience the pardoning grace of God in Lock, Cayuga 
County, New York, in 1814. Having been taught that a simply 
moral life was enough, he was somewhat contented until Mr. Bassett, 
the class-leader, had a conversation with him on the subject, and set 
up a prayer-meeting in the neighborhood. Three men came ten 
miles to attend that prayer-meeting, which was held in a private 
house. 

Soon after this time, they procured preaching, and held class- 
meetings. Mrs. Foot attended, and was converted in the first class- 
meeting she had ever attended. She expected her husband would 
oppose her, as he had said that he would not live with her if she 
became a Methodist. Still, she made up her mind to be a Christian, 
and risk the consequences. When she came home, he told her she 
need not be afraid to speak her feelings, as he would have stayed 
to class if he could have done so. Next Sabbath he attended prayer- 
meeting, and was deeply convicted for sin. Towards evening, he 
went out from his house, and was gone so long that his wife became 
uneasy about him, and went to look for him. She found him by the 
roots of a fallen tree, on his face, praying aloud for mercy. She 
returned to the house without disturbing him. Soon after this, 
he came into the house, praising God with cheerful voice, having 
obtained peace through the blood of the Lamb. The next time 
the Methodist preacher came there, they both joined the Methodist 
Church, and became firmly attached to it. He never wavered in his 
attachment to his Church and its institutions. He was conscien- 
tiously devoted to God and a pious life. 

At one time, he was to be absent from home with his family, 
for a few months, and a youngerly man wanted to occupy his house 
during the time, but he would not consent until he agreed to con- 
duct family devotions regularly during his absence. He wanted his 



3IO HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

very house to be considered as being consecrated to God's service. 

Having seen some persons apparently deprived of their strength 
under religious influence, and not being satisfied that it was from the 
Spirit of God, he prayed, very earnestly, that, if it was from God, he 
might feel the same influence. He was brought to feel the same 
thing, and was satisfied. At an early period in his Christian life, he felt 
it was his duty to preach, but he refused, or, rather, excused himself 
until after he had lost all his property, and was obliged to go to a 
new country. He regarded his loss of property as a great blessing to 
him, because, if he had continued to prosper, he would have lost his 
soul by his refusal to preach. When he went to the new country, he 
was very soon accused of being a "Jonah" and the minister gave him 
license to exhort, contrary to his wishes, about six years after his 
conversion. About one year and a half after this, they gave him 
license to preach, which he continued to hold till his death. He also 
held the office of steward in the Church for many years. When he 
removed from Adrian to Adams, he went into the wilderness, but 
he soon gathered the scattered inhabitants at his house for worship; 
and his house became a preaching-place for the itinerants, and the 
early Quarterly Meetings were occasionally held at his house and 
barn. 

His last sickness was only about three weeks in duration. He 
had had the asthma for about six years, but died of typhoid fever. 
For the first ten days of his sickness he was in a comatose state for 
most part of the time, but after that he revived and his mind was 
clear until about two days before he passed away. At the beginning 
of this lucid period he made his will, after which he seemed to think 
of nothing earthly, but was constantly talking of the goodness of 
God and calling on all around him to praise the Lord. He has 
gone to his glorious rest. 

Mr. Foot was a man of very respectable abilities, and if he had 
given himself up to the work of the ministry at an early period 
of his life, he would have ranked high as a preacher. He was very 
particular in his observance of the Sabbath, not doing anything on 
that clay that could be done on another, not even to shave himself. 
His piety was sincere and uniform, deep yet cheerful, and depending 
only and always upon Christ Jesus the Lord. His comunion was 
sweet and glorious. 

A sketch of two of the ministers, viz : Thomas Fox and James 
V. Watson, who labored here, must close our memorial notices in 
connection with this Church. 

Rev. Thomas Fox died of pulmonary consumption, in the village 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 311 

of Northville, at the residence of his father-in-law, Hon. David Row- 
land, in July, 1847. He was born May 17th, 181 7. His parents 
resided on Allen street, New York City, at the time of his birth. 
He became the subject of a sound religious experience at eighteen 
years of age, and soon joined the Methodist Episcopal Church ; and 
subsequently filled the several positions of Sabbath School teacher, 
superintendent, class-leader, exhorter, local preacher, and itinerant 
preacher. In 1840 he was employed by the Presiding Elder to fill a 
charge ; and the next year was admitted on trial in the Michigan 
Annual Conference. In 1842 he was appointed to Pontiac Station, 
where he labored with great success and usefulness. There was a 
very extensive revival in connection with his labors in this place, and 
a large accession was made to the Church. Before this time the 
Society was very feeble and it was considered quite an experiment 
to make it a Station and appoint a single man to it. The venture 
was crowned with success and the Church became well established. 

At the end of his fourth year in the ministry, his health having 
much declined, he retired from the active work for one year ; by this 
means he was so far restored that, in 1846, he was appointed to 
Adrian Station. The labor and responsibility of this charge were 
too much for him. He labored for a short time only, but usefully, be- 
fore his insideous disease, from some slight exposure, came upon 
him with fearful rapidity. "Though frequently urged to do so, he 
did not desist from preaching and tear himself away from the people 
he so much loved, until he was smitten down helpless upon a sick-bed, 
from which he never arose. During his lengthened illness he was 
sweetly submissive, patient and triumphant. His soul held unceas- 
ing and transporting communion with the Saviour — the Word of God 
and the voice of prayer became peculiarly sweet and delightful to 
him." After having been confined to his house for a long time, and 
having lost all hope of being able to do anything more for his peo- 
ple, he was removed from their midst to the residence of his wife's 
father, in the summer. Though he had been lingering long and look- 
ing for death, almost hourly, that event at last came upon him sud- 
denly, and he only had time to lisp the name of his wife and Saviour, 
and sunk to rest on the bosom of his Saviour. 

" Thomas Fox was a young man of deep piety, great frankness, 
simplicity and winningness of demeanor. His attainments were re- 
spectable, and his talents above mediocrity. He was always studious 
and acceptable, and highly useful wherever he labored. He stood 
among the first of the growing lights of the junior members of the 
Conference, who now mourn their loss. But his highest praise is 



3 1 2 HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

that many souls ready to perish, conducted to God through his 
instrumentality, rise up to bless his memory." 

In person Mr. Fox was small, in manners pleasing - , having good 
natural powers of mind ; but his greatest source of power was in the 
warm sympathy of his heart, which was well regulated by grace. 
Had he lived, he undoubtedly would have wielded a great influence 
for good in this country of his adoption. He died in the thirtieth 
year of his age. He left a wife, but no children, to mourn his 
absence. 

Rev. James V. Watson, D. D., a man of remarkable versatility 
of talent and extraordinary perseverance, died at Chicago, Illinois,, 
October 17th, 1856, in the forty-second year of his age. His death, 
though long anticipated, came suddenly at last. He died at a 
quarter before 3 o'clock p. m. of the above day. In the morning, 
had dictated an editorial for the Northwestern Christian Advocate^ 
of which he was editor, and had appointed for his amanuensis to- 
come to his room at 4 o'clock p. m. to finish it, but before that hour 
had arrived he had gone to the land of rest, where sorrow and 
pain are unknown — he had slept the sleep that knows no waking 
in this world. He spent an hour in the forenoon in cheerful con- 
versation with some friends, and spoke with delight of the bright 
land beyond the grave — was in a joyous mood, and, at 1 1 o'clock 
a. m. he laid down to rest, and fell asleep sweetly — a sleep from 
which he never awoke in this world. 

Dr. Watson was born in London, England, in 1814 — the pre- 
cise day cannot be ascertained without referring to the parish 
register — he was, therefore, forty-two years old. When but a lad, he 
emigrated with his parents to the United States, and, after a brief 
stay on the Atlantic coast, he passed on to the West, with which he 
became fully identified. 

He was led to seek for and obtain the consolations of religion 
in 1828, and joined the Methodist Episcopal Church immediately, 
under the labors of N. B. Griffith and E. G. Wood, who traveled 
the Lawrenceburg Circuit, in Indiana, that year. His first Christian 
experience was bright and clear — a glorious assurance of the 
Divine favor. Soon after his conversion, he felt an impression of 
duty to preach, but hope of his success was not very promising; 
young, green, awkward in appearance, it was thought to be a 
doubtful experiment to give him authority to preach. He received 
his first license to exhort, March 24th, 1832, from the hands of Rev* 
Joseph Oglesby, and was licensed as a local preacher and recom- 
mended to the Annual Conference, by the Quarterly Conference of 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 313 

Union Circuit, Missouri, August 18th, 1832, and in September of 
the same year he was admitted on trial in the Missouri Conference, 
and appointed to a Circuit. Thus obscurely he began a race, which 
terminated in a hale of glory. 

Dr. Watson after a time was transferred to the Indiana Confer- 
ence and fell into the Michigan Conference by the change of bound- 
aries, and was stationed in Adrian in 1841. He was a man of in- 
domitable perseverance. In this particular he was a very extraor- 
dinary man. For the last twelve years of his life, he looked more 
like a walking skeleton than a living man, having suffered incalcula- 
bly from asthma. No one who had never seen him during a par- 
oxism of this disease can form any adequate conception of the inten- 
sity of his sufferings. At these times the struggle for life was really 
fearful, and a less determined will than his would have yielded long 
before. But even in the midst of these sufferings his exuberance of 
spirits would burst forth. An instance — while residing in Adrian he 
and the minister stationed in the city, were visiting at the house of a 
mutual friend, soon after he had been suffering from one of these 
agonizing paroxisms — he was just able to be up, but was constantly 
gasping for breath. The conversation having turned on the matter 
of his suffering, he remarked that he expected to die soon ; and 
turning to the minister, he said, he wanted him to preach at his 
funeral when he died. " Now, Mac," said he, " you must put in 
your best licks ; I don't want any of your poor, shriveled up things ; 
I want your best." 

When he was compelled to desist from the pastoral work, as he 
was in 1846, he could not think of sinking into obscurity, and ceas- 
ing to do good, or to exert a moral power for the reformation of 
society. Having removed his residence to this city, he commenced 
the publication of a periodical — a religious periodical, which he con- 
tinued to edit and publish under many discouragements until, at the 
General Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church, held in 
Boston, in May, 1852, he was appointed to the editorship of a new 
weekly paper entitled The Northwestern Christian Advocate, to be 
published at Chicago, Illinois, which came into actual existence on 
the first of January, 1853. Perhaps it is not exactly accurate to say 
that he was appointed to that editorial position at that time, but 
arrangements were made which resulted in his being so appointed. 

Here was now opened before him an ample field for the exer- 
cise of his fertile imagination, free from any consideration of the 
financial question, as that was committed to other hands. He at once 
gave a life and spirit to the paper which secured the favor and good 



3 I 4 HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

will of the patrons. However some might differ from his rhetoric, 
his logic or his theology, all admitted that the paper had a spice, 
which attracted. So well had he succeeded in this work, that at the 
General Conference held in Indianapolis, May, 1856, he was returned 
to the same work, in which he continued to the last hour of his life. 

Dr. Watson was first a member of the Missouri Conference, 
then of the Indiana Conference, and in 1840, by the change of Con- 
ference boundaries, he became a member of the Michigan Confer- 
ence, and when the Michigan Conference was divided, and the De- 
troit Conference was created, in 1856, he became a member of the 
latter Conference. His last message to the Detroit Conference was 
that, though he was sick, he was determined they should not have a 
sickly paper. So it was ; for no one who read the paper would have 
supposed that the editor was holding a vigorous contest with death 
for the mastery. The editorials were as sprightly — sparkling as 
much with wit and sound good humor as if he had been in perfect 
health. This is accounted for in two ways ; naturally he was of very 
boyant spirits, and in the next place, all his strength of will was 
brought to bear to keep up that natural cheerfulness which was well 
tempered with grace. Perhaps history does not afford an instance 
of greater results from the determination of the will than this. At 
no period of his history was this trait in him more fully developed 
than during the session of the General Conference of 1856, of which 
he was a member. Exceedingly few men with his state of health 
would have supposed that they could have left their beds even, but 
he went to the seat of the Conference, and nearly every day was in 
the Conference room. Many will long remember how they were oc- 
casionally startled at his shrill " Mr. President," and then at his pale 
and haggard countenance, as he occasionally enchained them with 
his bursts of genuine eloquence, when some subject of great inter- 
est was under discussion, The question, " What keeps Mr. Watson 
alive," has been asked a thousand times, perhaps, to receive the one 
answer, ''His will." This exercise of will was not for the sake of life 
itself, but for the sake of whatever might be accomplished in this 
life. 

His social talent was of the highest order — never at a loss for 
thoughts, or for words in which to express them. His imagination 
was so fruitful that if he could not call up incidents in real life to 
illustrate his thoughts so as to instruct and even amuse, he could man- 
ufacture them at will ; and sometimes this very characteristic came 
to his relief in difficult places. To illustrate: when he was stationed 
at Adrian the Church and congregation were somewhat agitated on 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 3 1 5 

the subject of Church music, some being opposed to a choir, and es- 
pecially to instruments, while others were strongly in favor of both. 
He had not expressed himself on that question, but had as yet pre- 
served his neutrality. A gentleman who was not a member of the 
Church, but strongly in favor of the choir and instruments, having 
met him in the Postoffice, thought to draw out of him an expres- 
sion, and after various social converse, and finding him in a pleasant 
and communicative mood, asked him how he liked the choir and in- 
struments. Without seeming to notice the particular question, he 
said, " I was preaching in a large town, where Mr. Russel, a concert 
singer, was stopping at the time. When I came to a certain point in 
the discourse, Mr. Russell, who was sitting in the front of the gal- 
lery, struck up and sung a verse exactly applicable to the point. It 
produced the most thrilling effect I ever saw." He said no more, 
but the gentleman was so convulsed with the story, that the question 
was passed over without being answered. He made all about him 
feel cheerful and pleasant. 

His imagination took in a wide range and gave him great power 
as a public speaker. On one occasion, in preaching on the resurrec- 
tion, he painted the rising of the dead — the coming of the little in- 
fants to the embrace of their mothers — the meeting of friends long 
separated, in such a vivid manner that the congregation seemed to 
be minp-Hnor with the scenes, and mothers who had buried children 
were looking as if expecting to embrace them the next moment. 
For the want of scholastic training, his tropes and figures were not 
always rhetorically correct, but the defects were overlooked, even by 
the learned, because of the exuberance of good spirits with which 
they were accompanied — his impassioned eloquence. 

His early advantages for education were only such as could be 
furnished in the log school houses in Indiana, in his boyhood days, 
but he applied himself assiduously in after years. While attending 
the common school in his boyhood he performed a feat, rather for 
amusement, and to show what he could do, than from any expect- 
ation of deriving any advantage from it, which proved to be of im- 
mense value to him ; that was, to commit the whole of the English 
Dictionary to memory. He would have some of his school-fellows 
hear him recite ; and to amuse and astonish them he would repeat 
page after page of the book without missing a word. This was 
what gave him such a great flow of words. In after years, all he 
had to do was to wave his wand, and the words would step forth to 
do his bidding. 

In his nature, he was open, frank, and generous, and was fond 



3 1 6 HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

of such good cheer as was consistent with Christian character. He 
was a genial companion, and all who associated with him were 
impressed with his remarkable fertility of mental resources. He 
received the honorary degree of D. D. from the Indiana Asbury 
University, in June, 1856, just a few months before his decease. 
Though not a classical scholar, he was worthy of his doctorate. 

Perhaps this sketch cannot be better closed than in the language 
of the Methodist Quarterly Review for January,! 8 5 7, edited by Rev. D. 
D. Whedon, D. D., who knew him quite intimately. " Dr. Watson, 
in the midst of great infirmities, exhibited rare powers. Without 
early scholastic advantages, he rose by the native vigor and brilliancy 
of his own mind to an eminence in the pulpit, upon the platform, and 
in the editorial chair, which few, with the happiest external aids, have 
been able to obtain. He excelled not in the process of regular and 
adamantine logic, but saw things with clear-sighted, intuitive sagacity. 
He was no thoroughbred metaphysician, and yet he blended a rare 
subtlety of perception with that of transparency of imagination, in 
which the nicest discriminations of truth are readily detected. He 
had never mastered the technical accuracies of language, yet he 
handled the powers of the English tongue with a mastery, a range, 
and sometimes a creativeness, which, while it needed the pruning 
hand of severe criticism, attested the possession of the gifts of 
genious, and rendered him possessor of a great popular sway. He 
often failed in a purity of taste, and yet seldom is found a more ex- 
quisite tone of esthetic refinement, or a richer exuberance in the 
production of the varied forms of imaginative beauty. Had it 
pleased Almighty God to grant him a healthy frame of body, he 
had, in the measure of human age, years of great service in him. 
Humanity and religion would have drawn large installments from 
his ever-willing treasury of powers. Had large physical strength 
waited to execute the volitions of his ardent soul, he would have 
excelled in wreaking his powers upon the accomplishment of masses 
of good. But the living spirit maintained a constant struggle with 
the corporal wreck, his attenuated frame fully obeying the rapid 
impulses of his soul. His pale features, singularly lighted by the 
eye beaming with the intensity of powerful conception, his panting 
chest heaving for the breath to pour the vocal conductor of electric 
thoughts, were perpetual reminders to his friends of his brief delay, 
and momentous to himself to hurry his task before the damp shades 
were upon him. How did his triumphant spirit, amidst the parting 
fragments of its tenement, pour forth the last products of its glorious 
energies! Who. that read, for the last few months, the columns of the 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 3 1 7 

Northwestern Christian Advocate, could have imagined that its 
copious flow of rich thought were the last utterances dictated from the 
couch of an expiring man? The magnificent strains, ringing through 
the wide air, of the dying swan ! They seemed to flow as long as 
the heart beat, and stop with its closing collapse. The echoes were 
yet rolling while the freed spirit was ascending." 

In the department of Sabbath Schools, that most difficult part 
of our work, this Church has generally taken an active interest. 
They have generally maintained a large and interesting school, and, 
at the present writing, they are very prosperous in this department 
of Christian work, and are laboring assiduously to fill their mission 
to the young. 

Although writing a specific history of the Methodist Episcopal 
Church, it will not be out of place to record that other Christian 
Churches were organized at an early day in the history of the town. 
The Churches were organized as follows : Methodist Episcopal, 
June, 1830; Baptist, December, 1831 ; Presbyterian, in the fall of 
1832; Protestant Episcopal, autumn of 1838; Congregational, in 
the summer of 1853. Hence it appears that the Methodists have 
a priority of existence by a little more than one year. The mem- 
bership in 1876 was 510, including probationers, having a church 
valued at $50,000, and free from debt. The other denominations 
have valuable houses of worship. 

We have now furnished a pretty good idea of the origin, pro- 
gress, and present condition of Protestantism in this city ; and it is 
well, from this standpoint, to take a hasty survey of its operations 
through the county. We cannot go into the minutiae, but will give a 
general statement. The first Christian Church in this county was 
organized in January, 1828. It was a Methodist Society, and con- 
sisted, at the time, of only eleven members. The ministers of this 
denomination, in the early settlement of this country, were almost 
constantly in the saddle, searching out the new settlers, and calling 
them together in their shanties, as soon as a half dozen or more 
could be gathered together. They did not wait for them to build 
villages, erect school-houses or churches, and then call for them to 
occupy them, but they went after the people to call them to be 
reconciled to God. This course subjected the men who did so to 
many inconveniences and hardships — to much toil and suffering. 

From the foregoing facts, it would be expected that they should 
gain an extensive influence among the people at large. This ex- 
pectation is found to be realized from the statistics below. There is 
one drawback, that is, while they were extending their labors so far, 



31 8 HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

they did not attend sufficiently to the important points which they 
had gained. The villages just springing into life, and ambitious of 
a reputation, were not cared for so as to secure permanently the 
footing which had been gained ; so that, in some of them, though 
we were the first to erect a standard, we have not the strength we 
ought to have had, and might have had. Others were allowed to 
reap the fruit of our planting. More of the people, probably, were 
gathered into the Church upon the whole, for the time being, than 
would have been had they pursued a different course, but, by neg- 
lecting the centers, perhaps, we are not so strong in any one locality 
as we might have been. By this activity of our itinerant men — they 
were, emphatically, itinerant — nearly every nook and corner of the 
county has been supplied with the Gospel. 

We now reckon, according to the Minutes for 1876, the follow- 
ing charges in the County of Lenawee, having the number of mem- 
bers and probationers attached, viz : 



Adrian 510 

Tecumseh 160 

Clinton and Macon 157 

Deerfield 140 

Blissfield 151 

Palmyra. 81 

Morenci 404 

Medina 77 



Hudson 166 

Franklin 138 

Ridgeway 195 

Clayton 125 

Fairfield 139 

Addison 245 



Total 2 ; 808 

These charges have, in the aggregate, a Church property valued 
at $175,200. 

The first Camp Meeting held in this county was held near 
Clinton, in the summer of 1832, and it was a time of much religious 
interest. Camp Meetings have been held since then at different 
points, at various intervals, and with varying success. These gather- 
ings of the people to worship in the groves have generally proved 
to be of signal benefit to the church. Two were held in the limits 
of this county during the summer of 1857, the fruits of which were 
very glorious. There was but little difficulty in preserving good 
order at either of them. These two meetings were not signalized 
so much for the number of conversions as for the depth of the 
work in the hearts of Christians. The Christians, both ministers and 
people, went out from them so thoroughly imbued with the spirit of 
holiness that the succeeding winter was characterized by remarkable 
revivals. 

There is one locality — a beautiful place it is — where a Camp 
Meeting was held for several years in succession, and to which the 
attention of the people was directed as one of the fixed points of 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 319 

this feast of tabernacles, that is, "The Devil's Lake." This is a 
singular conjunction of names — "The Devil's Lake" and a Method- 
ist Camp Meeting! It savors a little of attacking Satan in his very 
seat. But, if the evil genius ever presided here, he has been exor- 
cised ; for the meetings have always been seasons of spiritual inter- 
est and profit to the Church. There is an Indian tradition in regard 
to the origin of this name for this beautiful lake, which we will not 
now record. 

Statistics for the City of Adrian should not be overlooked.. 
They are as follows: 

Methodist Episcopal 510 Baptist 353 

Protestant Episcopal 194 Presbyterian 298 

Congregational 282. 

Pontiac is one of the oldest settlements in this State, after 
leaving the lake and river coast. Mr. Orson Allen settled here in 
1819. This was the beginning of the place. It is the seat of justice 
for the County of Oakland, is situated on the Clinton River, twenty- 
five miles northwest from Detroit, and possesses the advantages of 
the Detroit & Milwaukee Railroad. The Pontiac Railroad had been 
known for many years. This was one of the earliest structures of 
the kind in the West, having been completed from Detroit to 
Pontiac in the spring of 1843, although it had been commenced as 
early as 1835. The city is favored with good water-power, and it 
contains a population of nearly 4,000 souls. It is a very interesting 
and important town, although it has not fully met the early expecta- 
tions in regard to its growth. 

Christianity, although introduced at an early day — Mr. Allen is 
said to have been a member of a Christian Church — has had more 
to contend against in this town than in almost any other in this 
State. Many of the early settlers were professed infidels, and 
carried their opposition to Christianity to a very great extent. It 
has been stated, on what seemed to be good authority, that there 
was an infidel club, or organization there, yet, the probabilities are 
that there were, simply, six or eight men of that cast, who were 
drawn together, at the taverns and stores, on the principles of 
affinity, and who carried on their opposition as chance or an appe- 
tite for strong drink happened to draw them together, without any 
systematic combination for that purpose. They were the leading 
spirits of the town, and were led by spirits, as they were liberal 
customers at the bars of the taverns. At some of these times, they 
would have mock sacraments and baptisms. On one occasion, they 
caught a lad, and baptized him with whisky, in the name of the 



320 HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. The man who officiated on this occa- 
sion retired to bed that night as well as usual, but was found dead 
in his bed next morning. What an awful thought, that one should 
go out of the world so suddenly with such a crime on his soul ! 
These men are all dead now; most of them have died a miserable 
death. There was only one exception to this last remark. He was 
a lawyer by profession, and first settled in Macomb County in 1817. 
After some time, he removed to Oakland County, and filled several 
important offices. He was a man of fine abilities, but, at this early 
•day, he fell into the same spirit with these infidels, and made himself 
wretched as well as those around him. However, at an advanced 
age, he became a convert to the Christian faith, and an experimental 
Christian. "He died at Fentonvilie in February, 1858, at the ad- 
vanced age of eighty-four years, in the full possession of his vigorous 
mind, and in the faith of the Christian religion." 

The following extracts from a memorandum book kept by him 
while in Macomb County, will show some of the difficulties with 
which the early settlers had to contend: "181 7 — 1 ax and helve, 
$4.00; Oct. 27 — Whiskey (a "necessary of life"), $2.50 per gallon. 
18 1 8, Nov. — 1 lb. tea, $3.00." These are given only as specimens. 
We refer to D. LeRoy, Esq. It is to be regarded as a very ex- 
traordinary manifestation of Divine mercy that any one of that class 
of infidels should ever have been converted to the experience of 
pardoning grace. We knew him personally. 

Rev. John P. Kent, a Methodist minister, who was appointed to 
Detroit Circuit in 1820, established an appointment at Pontiac; so 
that, in June, 1 821, when James B. Finley, the Presiding Elder, visited 
the Circuit, and held a Quarterly Meeting at Detroit, Mr. Kent had 
-an appointment for him at Pontiac, on a week-day, which he filled. 
Mr. Kent does not appear to have formed any Society at this place. 
There is no evidence that his successors kept up the appointment — 
but it is probable they did not — until Rev. John A. Baughman came 
on, who established a regular appointment here. While he was on 
the Detroit Circuit, having only to take in all the settlements in 
Michigan, with a few in northern Ohio, and being full of zeal for the 
cause of religion, he took in this place, also, in 1825. He, however, 
did not form any Society in the village that year. The policy of 
organizing Societies around the village, instead of concentrating in 
it, was adopted, and followed for several years, because the village 
was considered a hard place. Indeed, it had a hard name ; so that, 
in speaking of persons who had gone bad, for a number of years it 
was said that they " had gone to Pontiac." This policy of having 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 3 2 1! 

preaching within a mile or so on each side, was wrong and unwise,, 
but so it was; and now we are unable to say precisely at what time 
the Church was concentrated at the village. When we traveled the 
Circuit, in 1834, we found a very small Society there, and a small 
one on each side of it, only a short distance off. This small Society 
had to struggle with embarrassments — indeed, had to struggle for 
life — until 1843. 

In September, 1842, Pontiac was made a Station, and Thomas 
Fox — a single man and young in the ministry — was appointed in 
charge of it. Hitherto, for years, they worshiped in the old court- 
house — a very inconvenient place ; but now they had undertaken to 
build a small but neat church. This church was completed, and 
dedicated to the service of Almighty God, by Rev. Elijah H. Pilcher, 
the Presiding Elder of Detroit District, January 20th, 1843. His 
text was, 1 st Peter, 4th ch., nth v. — "If any man speak, let him 
speak as the oracles of God." His effort was to set forth the 
cardinal doctrines of the Bible, as believed by the Methodists, and 
assured the people that these were the doctrines they might expect 
to hear from that pulpit. The occasion was one of great interest, 
especially to the Methodist people, as they had so long labored 
under great disadvantages for the want of a convenient place in 
which to worship. This church, in a few years, became too small, 
and they have built a large, beautiful, and commodious one, which 
was dedicated by Bishop Simpson, in 1864. This work was com- 
menced under the ministry of Rev. S. Clements. It is free from 
debt. They also have a very good parsonage, free from debt. The 
The whole Church property is valued at $27,000. 

The interests of this Society had begun to assume an encour- 
aging aspect in the autumn of 1842 — before the dedication of their 
first church. Mrs. C. B. McConnel, wife of one of the merchants 
in the village, had attended a Camp Meeting in the summer of that 
year, and became anxious for salvation, and seemed disposed to 
identify her interests with the fortunes of this Church, which was 
very encouraging to the feeble Society. The way now seemed to- 
be opening for them to prosperity. They were soon after greatly 
encouraged ; for, on Christmas day, her husband, a man of a good 
deal of influence, attended services in the Court House. After 
preaching by the Presiding Elder, the Society tarried to hold class- 
meeting, and Mrs. McConnel with them. Mr. McConnel went out, 
but soon returned, and took his seat for the class-meeting. He 
had never manifested any desire for religion, but now, when the 
minister spoke to him, he arose and said, with a good deal of em- 



32 2 HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

phasis, " I am determined to be a Christian!' His wife had not made 
any profession of a religious experience, though she was now, and 
had been for some time, very desirous, and had expressed a desire 
for religion. It was not long before they both were converted, and 
united with this Church. Their conversion and union with the 
Methodist Church produced a profound sensation in the commu- 
nity. This was the state of affairs at the time when the dedication 
occurred. From this time, the work of revival went forward until a 
large number were converted and added to the Church. On the 
2 2d of January and on the 29th of March, the Presiding Elder 
baptized fifty-nine of the converts. These were adults, and some 
of the most influential people in the town. The preacher, Mr. Fox, 
was unordained, which was one reason why the Presiding Elder 
attended to the baptisms. Since then, this Church has been favored 
with many seasons of very precious revival and refreshings from 
the presence of the Lord. According to the Minutes for 1876, the 
Society now numbers 290 members, besides the number who have 
gone from them to benefit the Church in other places, and have 
gone to the Church above. 

In relation to this place, the same kind of economy had been 
adopted which had obtained among the Methodists in many other 
places, that is, they contented themselves with making a feeble effort 
in the village, because it seemed to be a hard place, and bestowed 
their labor, and concentrated their energies, or, rather, scattered 
them, in the country round about. Pontiac, although a considerable 
and thriving town for a new country, did not even furnish a name 
for a Circuit or Station earlier than 1838. At this date, it appears 
in the Minutes for the first time, with Rev. Josiah Brakeman as the 
preacher ; and, yet, there was no special concentration of force. As 
evidence of this scattering of the forces in the country, we find a 
church, built of logs, about three miles out of the village, a little to 
the north of east. It was known as " Donation Chapel." It was 
built in 1828 or 1829, by a Mr. Hathaway and a Mr. Turner, and 
presented to the Methodist Episcopal Church by them ; hence its 
name. These men were worthy members of the Church, and have 
gone to worship in that "house not made with hands, eternal in 
the heavens." They designed well ; but, had they concentrated their 
force in the village, how much better would it have been for the 
cause of religion. It is true that a soul in the country is in itself 
as valuable as in the village, but Churches need to be planted in 
the midst of the people ; besides, all know that the towns and vil- 
lages have much to do in shaping the character of the country 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 323 

round about them. We do not intend, in these remarks, to censure 
either the ministers or people, but simply to say that it is a pity that 
more importance was not attached to labor in the village. We 
know well, however, how difficult it is to concentrate labor in a place 
where there were so few members as there were here at an early 
day. As late as 1835, when we were on this Circuit — called 
Farmington — we had to be contented with preaching once in the 
day — on the Sabbath — once in two weeks. But everything is now 
changed. 

The Church here has met with some reverses and drawbacks, 
as well as having a good deal of opposition from the world. One 
minister, who was appointed to the Circuit in 1839, about the middle 
of the year, became disaffected, joined the Baptists, and then lectured 
against the polity of the Church he had left. His colleague, Rev. R. 
Sapp, then a young man, answered his lecture so effectually and 
completely that he failed to draw away many disciples. Still, this 
incident so diverted public attention as to prevent any special ad- 
vance in the cause for a time. What were the motives which in- 
fluenced him to this course, we will not now pretend to say. He 
was a man of promising talents, and, had he remained true to the 
Church, might have held a good and useful position, but, for some 
reason, he has not done much for the world since. He quickly sank 
into obscurity, and no one speaks the name of Miles Sandford with 
any special interest. 

Another one, in 1852, adopted and pursued such a course as 
that the brethren found it necessary to arrest his character, and to 
have his case investigated by the Presiding Elder, according to the 
provisions of discipline in such cases. He was suspended from the 
ministry until the next Annual Conference, at which time he was 
expelled from the ministry and Church. After his suspension, he 
joined the Baptist Church, and became a minister among them, 
before the final adjudication of his case before the Annual Confer- 
ence. A third, though he finished the term of his appointment, 
joined the Protestant Episcopal Church at the end of the year. 
Although he filled his term, and honorably withdrew, any one may 
well see that, having determined to leave, he could not labor with 
any zeal to build up the Church — a Church which, according to his 
new theory, was not a Church at all, and that he was determined to 
abandon, and only waited for the time to come when he could do 
so honorably to himself. Notwithstanding these defections, the 
Church has kept on its way, and has prospered, showing that the 
Church is not dependent on one or two or three men. There is a 



324 HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

most wonderful recuperative energy in the Methodist Church. 

Other Christian Churches, as the Baptists, Presbyterians, Con- 
gregationalists, and Protestant Episcopalians, have been established,, 
and have done their work towards the moral and spiritual renova- 
tion and elevation of this community. 

We may now append to this sketch of Pontiac a notice of our 
work in this county at large. The township of Troy was the first 
point at which a Methodist Society was organized, and that township 
has always maintained a good reputation in this respect. Indeed, 
some very valuable men have come from revivals in that township,, 
as Joseph Jennings, Riley C. Crawford, Manasseh Hickey, and some 
others, in the ministry, living and dead. 

In 1820, we find the introduction of the Gospel, under the 
operations of Methodism, into this county, about which time a small 
Society was organized. The Society was few and scattered, but the 
country has become thickly populated, and religious instruction is 
furnished to the people in great abundance. 

Among the greatest achievements attained in this county may 
be named the building of a large and beautiful brick church at 
Birmingham, which was dedicated in the autumn of 1873. Rev. 
Robert Bird was stationed there in 1869, with the expectation that 
he would secure the building of a church. When he first opened 
the subject, everybody considered it perfectly chimerical and absurd. 
But he went about it, and persevered until it was done. Our cause 
has been wonderfully advanced by it. Nobody but Robert Bird 
would have succeeded in such an enterprise under the circumstances. 
He was five years about it. He remained in the Station three years r 
and the state of the work was such that he could not safely leave it. 
He took a supernumerary relation, and remained at the work. The 
next year he took the responsibility of not going to his charge to 
finish this work. He, by the way, is perhaps the greatest church 
builder in the Conference. This church is a perfect gem, and is, 
doubtless, the best and most beautiful church edifice on this conti- 
nent, in a village of the size. 

Instead of one or two small Societies, without any Church prop- 
erty, in 1820, we have, according to the reports at the Conference 
of 1876, the following Churches and Stations, with members and 
probationers attached, viz : 



Pontiac 290 

Troy 143 

Rochester. 35 

Oxford 187 

Orion 77 



Milford 191 

South Lyon 96 

Walled Lake 110 

Commerce 84 

Farmington 103 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 325 



Clarkston 90 

Brandon 171 

*Lakeville 45 

Davisburg 131 

Holly 187 



*Southfield 43 

Birmingham. 154 

Royal Oak 90 

Highland 113 



Total 2,340 

There is an aggregate of Church property valued at $137,400. 
These items make an encouraging showing, and yet it is not all that 
should have been done. 

We ought not to fail to show that Rev. Isaac Ruggles, a Con- 
gregational minister, settled in Pontiac, in 1824, and operated as 
much as he could, and was successful in organizing a small Church 
in the town of Farmington, which has always been spoken of as 
Presbyterian. We cannot say definitely which form of organization 
it took. They had built a small church as early as 1830. At the 
time of the specially blessed revival under the labors of Rev. 
William T. Snow, of the Methodist Church, that Society was supplied 
by a young man named Bridgman, who had never seen anything of 
the kind and did not know what to make of it. Mr. Ruggles may, 
therefore, be regarded as the father of Presbyterianism in Oakland 
County. He always lived in this county, but removed for the latter 
part of his life into the township of Farmington. 

We conclude this article, remarking that there have been many 
precious seasons of revival in this city and accessions to the Church, 
but in the changing population, many of the converts have gone else- 
where, and other communities enjoy the benefit. The Detroit 
Annual Conference held its session in Pontiac, in 1859, Bishop Janes 
Presiding. It was well entertained and the session was an occasion 
of much value to our cause in the city. 

The denominations stand, in 1876, as follows: — 

In the City. In the County. 

Methodist Episcopal 290 2,340 

Baptist 181 568 

Presbyterian 124 504 

Protestant Episcopal 164 164 

Congregational , 233 410 

We take great pleasure in presenting a sketch of one who has 
been stationed in this place. 

Rev. Daniel C. Jacokes, D. D., was born in the State of New 
York, in 1809, and came to Michigan when but a young man. He 
spent several years in Detroit, and was then a member of the First 
Presbyterian Church. He studied for the ministry, intending to 

* Only so much of these charges as lies in OaTdand County. 







26 HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 



enter that work in the Presbyterian Church ; but, becoming more 
acquainted with the doctrines and discipline of the Methodist Epis- 
copal Church, he found that his mind and heart were more in 
accord with them. He, therefore, changed his Church relationship, 
and was duly recommended, and was admitted into the Michigan 
Conference in 1840, and has continued in the active work until the 
Conference of 1876, when, in consequence of the feeble health of 
his wife, he took a supernumerary relation to the Conference. For 
several years of his early ministry he was a missionary among the 
Indians, and endured all the hardships and inconveniences incident 
to such work, which were neither few nor small. 

Dr. Jacokes has filled many of the important appointments in 
the Conference — as Lafayette street, Detroit; Port Huron ; Dexter; 
Pontiac, and Hudson. Hudson was the last charge in which he 
labored. He always remained in the same charge the full dis- 
ciplinary term. He was appointed to the Adrian District In 1868, 
and remained on it for four years, discharging the duties of the 
office with great activity and fidelity. He was honored by his Con- 
ference by being elected a delegate to the General Conference, 
which met in the City of Baltimore in May, 1876. 

Dr. Jacokes has always been a great student and has a very 
large library of his own, and is justly entitled to all the honors con- 
ferred on him by literary institutions, the titles conferred being more 
of an honor to the institutions than to him. He is a very worthy 
Christian gentleman, and we are very happy to be able to furnish a 
portrait of him — of one whose name has become so familiar to the 
Michigan public, as being an able minister and a scholar of com- 
manding attitude. 

Port Huron, a flourishing young city, situated at the outlet of 
Lake Huron, or at the head of St. Clair River at the point where 
the Black River enters the St. Clair, appears in our Minutes as an 
appointment in 1838. Prior to this time it had been included in St. 
Clair Circuit. This was made a point of rest and a small settle- 
ment, by the French, almost as soon as Mackinaw; but no consider- 
able progress, by way of settlement, was made until a much later 
date. The village was surveyed and platted in 1836, and it was 
incorporated as a village in 1849, and chartered a city in 1857, and 
now contains a population of about 9,000, or nearly that. 

The first Society of the Methodist Episcopal Church was 
organized by Rev. Benjamin Cooper, in 1830; but this became scat- 
tered, made up as it was of a floating population, but a permanent 
organization was made in 1834. Their first house of worship was 





C^-<=^rf%/ 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 329 

completed in 1844, and dedicated by Rev. E. H. Pilcher. This 
house became too small for the Church and community, and they 
decided to dispose of this and build a larger one. This first house 
was sold to the Roman Catholics, and a new and superior one was 
completed and dedicated to Divine service in December, 1856, by 
Rev. Thomas C. Gardner. This, again, has been superseded by a 
large and elegant brick structure, under the labors of Rev. James 
S. Smart, who is noted in Michigan for dedicating churches and 
raising money — the basement of which was dedicated by Bishop 
Ames, in May, 1875. 

The Congregational Church was first organized as a Presby- 
terian Church, in 1837, by Rev. O. C. Thompson, who served as a 
temporary supply, but it was changed into the Congregational form 
a few years after. They have an excellent house of worship, and a 
lage and flourishing Society. The Protestant Episcopal Church was 
planted here in 1839. They have a good house of worship, built 
in 1857. 

The Detroit Annual Conference held its session here in Sep- 
tember, 1857, and was nobly entertained by the people. The 
venerable Bishop Waugh presided. He preached and exhorted 
with the zeal and fire of his youth, giving an example to the mem- 
bers of the Conference which was felt in its influence by them 
throughout the whole year. No one can fully estimate the value 
of the active and zealous labors of the venerable and chief men of 
the Church, who do not seem to think that their position excuses 
them from the active, direct labor for the salvation of souls. This 
Conference was a time of great spiritual interest. Some were con- 
verted during the session, and a glorious revival followed, extending 
through the whole year, resulting in the addition of eighty-six as a 
neti increase for the year, under the labors of that zealous and faith- 
ful pastor, Rev. Seth Reed, who still lives and is abundant in labors. 
Another result was the erection of an elegant parsonage for the 
accommodation of the ministers family. 

Port Huron District appears in our Minutes in 1857, and 
Manasseh Hickey was the Presiding Elder. So this city has come 
to occupy, deservedly, an important place in the operations of 
Protestantism in this country. The District, at this time, was no 
sinecure, for though the charges were so arranged that nearly all of 
them reached to the river and lake, a Presiding Elder could not 
visit all his work by steamboat. Oftentimes he had to travel on 
foot for miles to reach the place of the Quarterly Meeting. He 
had to endure a great deal of inconvenience for lodging places, and 



330 HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

to put up with much coarse living. These labors and discomforts 
were so great and numerous that Mr. Hickey could not endure them 
longer than two years ; his health so failed that he had to be 
relieved from it, and E. H. Pilcher succeeded him for one year. 

The principal evangelical Churches have a good Church pro- 
perty, and a membership as below, according to the reports for 
1876: 

Methodist Episcopal 277 Congregational 283 



Protestant Episcopal.. not reported. 



Baptist 228 



We have said so much in regard to this whole region, under 
the head of St. Clair, that it is not necessary to add anything 
here on the general subject. There is a Methodist Episcopal 
Society among the Germans, embracing quite a membership, but as 
it is included in the Marine City Circuit, we are not able to 
give the exact number and so do not include them in the number 
of members in the city, which would add considerably to the num- 
ber of the Methodists as given above. 

We will conclude what we have to say about Port Huron 
by adding that in the winter of 1859-60 there was an extensive 
work of grace under the pastorate of Rev. S. Clements, who was 
much assisted by E. H. Pilcher, the Presiding Elder. Rev. James 
S. Smart was stationed here in 1873-76, and, under his pastorate, 
they erected their large and valuable church, the basement of which 
was dedicated, in 1875, by Bishop Ames. 

We also take great pleasure in inserting a memorial sketch of 
a layman who was one of the lay delegates to the General Confer- 
ence of 1872 : 

" Mr. Henry Fish died at his residence in this City, at 5:30 
o'clock Friday evening, May 26, 1876, after an illness of several 
weeks, the culmination of a painful disease that had afflicted him 
for some years. 

" Mr. Fish was well known throughout the State of Michigan, 
and respected by all who knew him. In Port Huron he was known 
by every one, and although his vigorous advocacy of prohibition 
made him some enemies, none could say aught against his character, 
while by all the better class of people he was held in the highest 
esteem. He was a man of vigorous intellect, of uncompromising 
honesty, firm in his adherence to the principles he believed to be 
right, generous in support of his Church and all worthy charitable 
and educational institutions fostered by it, kind and liberal to the 
poor, ready with his influence and his purse to forward all deserving 
public enterprises, and in every way an admirable and valuable 




H. FISH. 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 333 

citizen. His death is a serious loss to the city, and to the Methodist 
Episcopal Church, of which he had been an almost life-long mem- 
ber, as well as to his family and friends. 

"Mr. Fish was born near Montreal, Canada, February 14, 1824, 
and was, consequently,- a little more than 52 years of age at the 
time of his death. His parents were of New England birth, but 
removed to Canada at an early day. In the year 1836 the family 
came to Michigan, and settled in Macomb County. In 1848 Mr. 
Fish removed to Port Huron, where his brother Allen had located 
some years before, and the two brothers entered into mercantile 
and lumbering business, under the firm name of A. & H. Fish, 
which has been maintained to the present time, or nearly thirty 
years. He was an excellent business man, and the firm has always 
been prosperous. 

" Mr. Fish's greatest prominence before the public has been as 
an active member of the Prohibition Party. He was earnest and 
conscientious in his support of the principle of prohibition, never 
swerving from it or proposing any compromise in the hope of 
political preferment. In 1870 he was the candidate of the party for 
Governor, and again in 1872. He was active in the movement for 
the formation of the National Prohibition Party, at an early date. 
During the war he acted with the Republican Party. 

"Mr. Fish was a member of the Board of Education of this city 
for several years, and in that capacity did much to advance the inter- 
ests of the schools. 

" As a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, Mr. Fish was 
scarcely less prominent. He always gave liberally for its support, 
and was a constant attendant at all the meetings, leader of the choir, 
class leader, and at times, we believe, Superintendent of the Sabbath 
School. He was a good speaker, and when addresses were in order 
was nearly always called upon. To Mr. Fish, as much, or perhaps 
more than any other man, is due the credit of securing the erection 
of the new Methodist Church in this city. 

" Mr. Fish's family consists only of his wife and one daughter, 
Miss Gertrude, an only child. It was a comfort to him, during his 
last illness, to know that he would leave them above pecuniary 
want, and as his business matters had been put in order, free from 
care regarding them. 

"Mr. Fish was one of a family of six children, having had four 
sisters and one brother. Three sisters had died before him, leaving 
Mr. Allen Fish and Mrs. Spalding, both of this city, the only sur- 
vivors of the family. In their great affliction, his family and relatives 



334 HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

will have the earnest sympathy of the entire community, who mourn 
a good man — a great and noble heart lost to the community and to 
the world." — Port Huron Times, 

The funeral took place at the family residence on the 28th. 
Rev. J. M. Arnold, D. D., of Detroit, officiated, the pastor, Rev. J. S. 
Smart, being absent in attendance at the General Conference at 
Baltimore. We knew Mr. Fish well, and knew him to be a very 
devout and consistent Christian. 

Grand Rapids. — We have selected this place as a nucleus 
around which to cluster the Protestant History for a large extent of 
country, because this is the most important town in what is known 
as the Grand River Valley, and because this was the point at which 
this Protestant History begins. Grand Rapids Mission appears in 
our Minutes for the first time in 1835. Rev. Osband Monnett was 
the preacher. No itinerant preacher had, as yet, visited the ground, 
but a few adventurers had located themselves at the Rapids and 
other points along the river, and among them were a few Method- 
ists. These had desired a preacher to be sent. Mr. Monnett had 
everything to do, as he had no plan of his work; he had to inquire 
out the settlements, and find his way to them as best he could. 
The appointment proved to be a very unsuitable one ; for, although 
he was a pious, good man, he was timid and bashful, and had 
no push about him, so he made but little headway. A few points 
were visited, and something of form was given to the work. In 
some respects, the next appointment, at the beginning, was more 
promising, because the man had more energy of character ; and 
things began to look well, when, alas! the sun set in darkness. 
They had now extended their labors up and down the river as far as 
there were any settlements of sufficient numbers to warrant a visit 
from a minister of the Gospel. 

Rev. Oren Mitchel, one of the most quiet, good and inoffensive 
men ever thrust out into, the wilderness to look after the wandering 
sheep, was sent to this field in 1837. He found himself so trammeled 
with what had occurred the year before that he could scarcely hold 
up his head, and did little more than to furnish the people an ex- 
ample of piety and true devotion to God. The settlements had so 
increased during the year that it was thought best, at the end of the 
year, to make two Circuits in the valley. Grand Rapids and all the 
valley belonged to Ann Arbor District for the first two years, but 
the Presiding Elder, Rev. H. Colclazer, was not able to visit it. For 
the year 1837, lt was attached to the Flint River District. Rev. 
S. P. Shaw was the Presiding Elder, and he was able to make a 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 335 

partial visitation of the country, going as far down as Grand Rapids. 

In 1838, Marshall District was created, and Elijah H. Pilcher 
was appointed to it, and this valley was included in it. -In order 
to reach Grand Rapids, the Presiding Elder had to travel from 
Marshall without any intervening appointments, and, in order to 
complete his work in that part, to pass on up the river, to attend 
to all the appointments on that route without returning home, and 
then, as was the case sometimes, travel from Fentonville, in Genesee 
County, to Jackson, without any intervening charges. This kind of 
labor, however, only came to him once a quarter, or, rather, from 
four to five weeks in each quarter; but the Circuit preachers, though 
they had not so extensive a ride, had less time in which to perform 
it, and had no relief by being a part of the time in the open country. 

In 1838, the country was divided into two charges. James H. 
Frees was appointed to Grand Rapids, about whom we have nothing 
to say — only, that the cause was not much advanced by him. Larmon 
Chatfield was appointed to Lyons Circuit. A Congregational minis- 
ter had settled at Grand Rapids, but his labors were confined to 
that place. There was here and there a Methodist local preacher 
who did good service to the people in their destitution of the means 
of grace. Mr. Chatfield gave shape and order to the work in Ionia 
County and in the northern part of Eaton. In this work he was 
greatly assisted by the local preachers and exhorters. The Quarterly 
Meetings were times of great interest. The people would travel 
from twenty to thirty miles, with ox teams, fording streams, and 
plodding through the mud, to attend them. When there, they re- 
ceived such full and glorious manifestations of love and grace as 
made them rejoice that they had attended. 

The first Camp Meeting ever held in this valley, was in Ionia 
County — E. H. Pilcher Presiding Elder, and L Chatfield, preacher — 
in June, 1841. It was a very interesting meeting, though not very 
numerously attended, because of the sparseness of the population ; 
but order prevailed without any difficulty, so that those who had 
the charge of it could retire at night, and rest as quietly as if they 
were at their own homes. A goodly number of sinners were con- 
verted, and it was a time of great refreshing from the Lord. The 
Church received a great accession of permanent strength from this 
meeting. 

The village of Lyons was made a preaching appointment in 
1836. A few men of means had established themselves there, and 
it was fully expected that it would immediately be a great place. 
This expectation, like a great many others which sprung up in 



336 HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

1836-7, was destined to be disappointed ; for, though this valley is 
very fertile, and rich in its minerals and lumber, time was required 
for the development of these resources. As the country has ad- 
vanced, the villages have increased in their population, although 
many of the original settlers, not realizing their fond hopes, aban- 
doned them for other localities. As soon as these people found 
themselves settled down here, they desired to hear the Gospel, or, 
possibly, they thought it might be more for their credit, and tend to 
facilitate the settlement, to have religious services conducted on the 
Sabbath. Whatever their motives may have been is no matter now. 
They wanted the services, and our ministers were ready to respond 
to the call, and the only ones. They were supplied in this way 
through the country for many years before any other ministers came 
in to establish themselves in these wilds. 

It is an interesting fact that, however extensive were their Cir- 
cuits, or however laborious the work of our ministers, they have 
always been ready to respond to such calls, and make arrangements 
to supply them. No sacrifice has been too much for them to make, 
or labor too severe to be performed, or exposure too intense to be 
endured by them to meet the wants of the people. The fact is, there 
have not been wanting martyrs to the work, or noble heroes to meet 
and brave labors and dangers, among the men to whom has been 
assigned the cultivation of this field. 

Some of the local preachers were as ready to brave these dan- 
gers as the itinerants. Rev. Jacob Dobbins, a local preacher, had 
settled in the timbered land in the north part of Eaton County, 
and on the south side of Grand River, not far from the river. In 
stature he was a small man, but in determination a giant. He had 
his regular appointments, and attended to them faithfully. On one 
occasion, his appointment was on the north side of the river, and the 
water was high, the ice running, and it presented a very discour- 
aging prospect to make a passage across the river even with a good 
craft. It was at some distance from any house on either side. The 
canoe, in which he expected to make the transit, to his great disap- 
pointment, was on the other side of the flood. A faint heart would 
have quailed and returned, but not so with him. The few people 
must not be disappointed. He was not a good swimmer, so that a 
passage in that way was out of the question. In casting about to 
decide what to do, he found two small logs so situated that he could 
roll them into the river, which he did, and lashed them together with 
some withes, which he had cut with his knife, so making a raft; then 
stripping off his clothes, fastened them around his shoulders, and, 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. $57 

after much labor and suffering from the cold, as it was early spring, 
he reached the opposite bank, donned his clothes, and so passed on 
to his appointment. What was the motive for all this? Simply, to 
preach Jesus and the resurrection to a few people in the wilderness, 
without any pecuniary compensation. This is a species of heroism 
more grand than the meeting of armies in battle. Mr. Dobbins 
afterwards joined the Conference, and labored usefully for many 
years. He still lives, but is on the superannuated list. 

While on this upper, or, rather, middle portion of the valley, we 
may as well finish what we have to say before we float down the 
stream. The first settlers at Ionia, the county-seat, were Baptists in 
sentiment, and, though they preferred Methodist preaching to none 
at all, they did not give any encouragement to the organization of a 
Society. The result of this was that, though we ministered to them, 
they did not make a Church, and it was some time before our people 
acquired any special footing there. Besides this, there was an 
instance of defection in a local preacher, living in the vicinity, that 
operated unfavorably to us. He was a young man of some talent 
and more assurance — of a sour spirit. He had once applied to the 
Conference, before he came to this place, to be admitted into the 
traveling connection, and was not accepted. Having a very good 
opinion of his own abilities, he never recovered from the bad feeling 
which this occasioned. He pushed out into this new region, retain- 
ing his relation to the Church, but, all the while, grumbling and 
complaining against the usages and economy of it, till finally he 
withdrew from us, and joined the Congregational Church. Upon 
the whole, it was 2 relief when he withdrew from us, as he was oper- 
ating to the damage of the body more by his complainings while he 
retained his membership than out of it. Notwithstanding these dif- 
ficulties, our cause has finally triumphed, and we now have a strong 
footing at that point, as hereafter noted. 

Several revivals have occurred at Ionia, taking in their way 
several men of position in the community, some of whom had been 
avowed infidels. That indefatigable and always successful laborer, 
Allen Staples, was appointed in charge of Lyons Circuit, which in- 
cluded all that portion of country which we may designate as the 
middle part of the Grand River Valley, in 1840, and, as was cus- 
tomary where he labored, the whole country was in a blaze of revi- 
val. Many were converted and added to the Church. Since that 
time, the work has gone on with growing interest, widening in its 
extent, and increasing in its power, as the settlements have extended 
and increased in population. (See Ionia.) 



33& HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

Some oppositions and some competitions have been encoun- 
tered, but this valley has been thoroughly Methodized. In 1840 and 
1 84 1, a good deal of effort was made in this region by two or three 
young preachers of the immersion faith to convert the people to their 
belief, but without any very considerable success. This effort led one 
of them to deliver a discourse specially on the subject of baptism, in 
which he took occasion to comment on the common objection to the 
immersion of the three thousand on the day of Pentecost, to wit, the 
want of water. "Why," said he, "that is a very frivolous objection. 
There was no difficulty at all ; for the river Jordan runs right along 
there by Jerusalem, and furnished plenty of water. There was no diffi- 
culty at all," This state of things gave rise to the following incident 
at a Quarterly Meeting held in the town of Eagle, in May, 1841. 
On the Sabbath, during his discourse, the Presiding Elder — E. H. 
Pilcher — took occasion to allude to the subject of baptism, and re- 
ferred to the very oft-repeated objection to infant baptism, that is, 
that persons become dissatisfied with it when they come to years of 
maturity; and made some remarks in answer to it. Just at that 
point in his discourse, Rev. L. Chatfield, who sat in the desk of the 
school-house behind him, pulled his coat. The Elder looked around, 
when Mr. Chatfield arose, remarking as he did so, "If one be proph- 
esying, and anything be revealed to another that sitteth by, let the 
first hold his peace." Hearing this, the Elder sat down, and he went 
on, "I want to tell an incident which occurred with me once." Said 
he: "I was baptizing a few years ago, during which a young lady 
came to me, and said she wished me to baptize her. But, said I, 
have you not been baptized ? She said she had been immersed in 
water, but she did not consider that baptism, as the Scriptures say 
we must be baptized with water." The application was easy. When 
he finished this story, he sat down, and the Presiding Elder went oa 
with his discourse, just as if no interruption had occurred. 

Before leaving this part of the country, we will take the liberty 
of providing a brief notice of two men whose names are associated 
with the work here, Larmon Chatfield and Allen Staples. 

Rev. Larmon Chatfield was born in Windham, Green County, 
in the State of New York, in 181 2. His father was a Deacon in 
the Presbyterian Church, and the son was thoroughly instructed in 
the doctrines of that Church. But, while he was yet a boy, his soul 
revolted against the doctrines of Calvinism, and, when he came to 
hear the Methodists preach the doctrines of free grace— free salva- 
tion for all who would receive it — he joyfully accepted the doctrine* 
and was converted to God in his early youth; but, not finding the help 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 339 

which he needed, as he expressed it, " he fell from grace." When he 
was a young man, he came to Michigan, and settled near Tecumsetu 
There, under the preaching of Rev. Joseph Bangs, at the age of 
twenty-two years, " he renewed his covenant with God, and joined 
the Methodist Episcopal Church." 

In the Official Minutes of the Michigan Conference for 1876, it 
is said of him : "Always of a religious turn of mind, he thought out 
those fundamental doctrines of Christianity for himself, and, searching 
the Word of God for authority, stored his mind with the truths he 
found therein — truths which, in after years, proved their value in his 
matchless controversial discourses upon Calvinism, the Doctrine of 
Decrees, Reprobation, and the Final Perseverance of the Saints.. 
He was, emphatically, a doctrinal preacher, who would, in a sermon 
of an hour or more, probe to the bottom the fallacies of Calvinism,, 
Unitarianism, and Universalism. 

" Immediately after joining the Methodist Episcopal Church, he 
entered upon the work of the ministry, was licensed as an exhorter, 
and took his first work, as a subordinate, in the old Ohio Conference 
of 1835, and was sent to Mount Clemens. In 1836, his name ap- 
pears in the Mansfield Conference Minutes, [that is, in the Minutes 
of the Michigan Conference held at Mansfield Ohio], and he was 
sent to Plymouth, and there he was married to a Miss Lorimer. 
She left his side, in six or eight months, to join the hosts of the 
redeemed. In the year 1838, he was sent to Lyons charge, then 
embracing the territory now covered by the thriving town of Port- 
land. Here he assisted at the funeral of Philo Bogue in 1839, and, 
two years after, was married to Mrs. Eliza Bogue, by Rev. Allen 
Staples, of blessed memory. Serving two years upon the Lyons 
Circuit, he was then appointed Presiding Elder of the Shiawassee 
District. Four years of District work, traveling from Grand Rapids 
to Saginaw, proved his efficiency, and, at the expiration of his term 
here, he was sent, as Presiding Elder, to the Adrian District. 

" Here he lived, at Adrian, for three years ; poorly paid, but. 
laying upon the hearts of the people such grand truths that, far and 
near, there remains indelibly fixed in the minds of those who heard 
him, profound impressions of the preaching of Larmon Chatfield." 

Although his early school advantages were very limited, he was 
very accurate in the use of language, and, though he was ignorant 
of the technical rules of logic, he understood how to reason logically, 
and was a man of great power in the pulpit. He died at Portland, 
Ionia County, where he had resided for many years, in August, 1876,. 
full of days and good fruits. 



340 HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

Rev. Allen Staples was a man of very moderate preaching 
abilities, if the capacity for analyzing a text and arranging a sermon 
be taken as the standard ; but, if the power to reach the heart and 
influence the judgment of his hearers be taken as the rule of 
determination, he was much above mediocrity — he was superior 
His educational attainments were limited, but they were used to 
the best advantage. He was born in Cheshire, Massachusetts, July 
15th, 1 8 10, and was converted to God when about fifteen years of 
age. Notwithstanding he had to meet with opposition, he soon 
joined the Methodist Episcopal Church. He was licensed to preach 
in 1836, and the same year was admitted on trial in the Michigan 
Conference. His second appointment — 1837- — was to Beari Creek. 
The whole country was so new and sparsely settled that the Circuit 
was named after the Creek, and not for any town — but Hudson has 
become a large and pleasant town in it since then, and has been 
made a Station, having good churches of the different denomina- 
tions. 

His zeal for the conversion and salvation of sinners was so 
.all-pervading and so all-consuming that he could well adopt the 
language of the prophet, " For Zion's sake I will not rest, for Jeru- 
salem's sake I will not hold my peace." His zeal was so great that 
he could not devote his time to reading and study, but he must be 
looking after sinners, and laboring with them to bring them to 
Christ. Blessed and extensive revivals of religion uniformly attend- 
ed his labors. By means of such excessive labors, he soon became 
worn out, and was for several years on the superannuated list. On 
his death-bed, he advised his brethren not to follow his example, 
in the excess of his labors, as he believed he had shortened his 
days by that means. He seemed always to forget himself, and used 
his lungs to their utmost capacity. It is a question, which every 
one must settle for himself, whether he could accomplish as much 
good in a short life, made short by incessant labors, as in a longer 
•one, prolonged by a moderation of zeal. But, perhaps, after all, the 
injury to the physical man does not result so much from an earnest 
zeal as from an undue straining of the lungs by attempting to speak 
when the lungs have become exhausted of air — from the want of a 
proper attention to the rules of elocution. If a man will stand erect, 
and keep his lungs properly filled with air, he will not fail from earn- 
est speaking. 

Mr. Staples had fixed his residence at Albion, after he became 
superannuated, from whence he was called to his heavenly rest 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 34 r 

The following is extracted from the official memoir as found in the 
Minutes for 1848: 

"Of our departed brother much might be said that would be 
greatly to his praise. He had many qualities that adorn their 
possessor, and make him the subject of grateful remembrance. He 
was modest and unassuming, ever esteeming others better than 
himself. Though kind and warm-hearted, he had, nevertheless, a 
happy faculty of being familiar with all classes without becoming 
subject to their disrespect. As a Christian, he was eminent. In his 
piety, more than in anything else, lay the secret of his usefulness 
and influence. Wherever he went, he carried the Saviour with him. 
Sanctification, or perfect love, he enjoyed for many years, and, to 
the end of his career, it was a prominent item of his conversation 
as well as his public ministry. In a word, he had plunged deep into 
the ocean of Immanuel's love, and had grown in grace as life ad- 
vanced. 

" Brother Staples was not what would be styled a great preacher, 
nor did he aim to be — and, yet, if eminent success in bringing sin- 
ners to God entitles a minister to greatness, he was truly great, 
greater than many of more pretensions. He never labored where 
there were not more or less revivals of religion during the year, and 
frequently hundreds were brought to the Saviour. His zeal for the 
salvation of men was proverbial, and, no doubt, he died a martyr to 
its excessiveness. 

"Brother Staples left this world on the 21st of October, 1847. 
His disease, which had been his ailment from time to time, when 
interrupted in the ministry, was pulmonary consumption. During 
the last six months of his life, he was an extreme, yet a patient, un- 
complaining sufferer. His death was triumphant, as his life had been 
devoted. May we follow him as he followed Christ." 

We will add one incident which will develop his characteristic 
zeal with its success. At a Quarterly Meeting, on his second Circuit, 
he, with the Presiding Elder, put up at the house of a gentleman 
who made no profession of religion. After dinner, on the Sabbath, 
the Presiding Elder, being much fatigued, laid down and took a nap,, 
from which he was aroused by the sound of Mr. Staples' voice. 
When he awoke, he found Mr. Staples talking to his host with tears 
in his eyes, and exhorting him to seek religion at once, while the 
gentleman himself was bathed in tears. Soon after they kneeled for 
prayers, and the host was happily converted to God. His zeal led 
him out in much personal effort, and his kindly spirit gave him great 



342 HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

success in securing the confidence and affection of those for whom 
he labored. 

It is time, now, to return to Grand Rapids, and see what has 
been the course of events in the lower part of the valley. It is 
proper to say that a small class had been organized at the Rapids 
in the summer of 1837, made up of persons who wanted as much 
of Church fellowship as they could have. A Baptist man, whose 
wife and one son were Methodists, had moved into the place, and 
joined, for the time being, and was made the class-leader. The 
progress of settlement was retarded by the money panic of 1837, 
and this, of course, affected the growth of the Church. Still, a few 
were added to the Church. The circumstances looked discouraging 
and dark. 

We left Rev. James H. Frees in charge, he having been ap- 
pointed in the fall of 1838. The Circuit then included all the settle- 
ments below Flat River. The traveling was attended with great 
difficulty and almost incredible labor and much suffering, but the 
missionary persevered, with no earthly prospect other than some 
expectations of receiving one hundred dollars, a part of which only 
was received. 

This appointment was an unsuitable one for the charge. The 
Rapids, though as yet but a small village, was growing in interest 
and importance, and contained some very intelligent and well-edu- 
cated people. They had a good degree of refinement. The preacher 
had neither the one nor the other. He was good in his intentions, 
but was very ignorant, and had never mingled in refined society. 
He could not make any favorable impression for us in the village, 
and but little in the country. 

The Presiding Elder, E. H. Pilcher, felt this most painfully 
whenever he went there to attend the Quarterly Meetings, which he 
did every quarter. By the way, his predecessors on the District had 
not succeeded in getting as far down the river as the Rapids, except 
once. He felt, however, that he had no responsibility in the case, as he 
had not had anything to do in making the appointment. This year, 
as all the preceding ones, was a little worse than a blank, so far as 
the village, now City of Grand Rapids, was concerned ; for, though 
a small Society had been organized, there was a prejudice against 
Methodist ministers created, which it was very difficult, afterwards, 
to wipe out. It will not be out of place to give a fuller delineation 
of this young man, to whom was entrusted the work of giving shape 
and character to Protestantism in that important portion of the 
State. He had very little advantage for education, and had never 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 343 

mingled in refined society. Nevertheless, he was very communi- 
cative, and exposed his ignorance on all occasions. He believed 
that snakes had feet, and said he had made them protrude them 
by exposing them to a hot fire. On one occasion, he was stopping 
at the house of an intelligent gentleman, one of whose daughters 
was a Methodist, and finding a copy of Shakspeare's Works on 
the table, he took it up, and, turning to his host, addressed him 
in this way: "Who was Shakspar? I never heard tell of Shakspar 
before." Then, taking the book, and turning it over a few minutes, 
he observed, " I reckon this would be a good book for me to read, 
wouldn't it?" We give these items only as specimens. They might 
be multiplied indefinitely. Yet he was sent here to lay the founda- 
tions of religious Society and of Methodism among an intelligent 
people. 

In reviewing these first four years, we are astonished that we 
have any footing at all in this part of the valley. It can be at- 
tributed only to two causes ; one is the intrinsic excellency of Meth- 
odist doctrines and polity; the other is, the the special blessing of 
God on the labors of his faithful, trusting servants, who have since 
occupied the field. 

How strangely we have acted, sometimes, in supplying the new 
fields! The prevailing thought often seems to have been that any- 
body would do for the new country. It is true that people would put 
up with services in the destitute places, which would not be tolerated 
at all when the country became older and more densely populated. 
But when the foundations are to be laid, and shaping and character 
are to be given both to society and the Church, it is of the utmost 
importance that the very best talent, as well as the best experience 
of grace should be selected. As a Church, we have lost immensely 
in many portions of this country from such bad policy. This has 
arisen not altogether from choice, but partly from the necessity of 
the case. The older towns have demanded, and the greater compe- 
titions have suggested, that our most talented and experienced men 
should be appointed to them ; and the inability of the newer places 
to support men of families has seemed to shut us up to the neces- 
sity of appointing young and inexperienced men to them, whatever 
may be their prospects of importance. 

This whole valley only returned twenty-seven members in 1836. 
The next year there was no report, owing to circumstances over 
which we prefer to draw a veil. But, in 1838, there were sixty-eight 
members returned; and in 1839 we had increased to one hundred 
and one; still included in only two Circuits, and two ministers. This 



344 HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

year may be regarded as the beginning of a vigorous religious life 
for this valley. The two Circuits here had been supported, in part,, 
by the Missionary Society, but it seemed to be time that they should 
not only support themselves, but begin to make some return to the 
Society from which they had been deriving a part of their life. 

The Presiding Elder, E. H. Pilcher, this year — 1839 — having 
fully surveyed the ground by personal visitation to all the Quarterly 
Meetings on each of the two Circuits, determined, if possible, to 
obtain a change of policy, and to secure the appointment of some of 
our most talented, active and successful men to that isolated field. 
We call this an isolated field because it had so little connection with 
any other part of the work. The settlement had followed the water- 
course almost entirely, and, consequently, there were no good roads 
coming in from the south. In many directions there were long 
stretches of woods, with scarcely anything worthy of the name of road. 
The Presiding Elder regarded this field as a very important one pros- 
pectively, and thought it ought to be well supplied and thoroughly 
occupied. He, therefore, applied to the Bishop, at the next Confer- 
ence, for four men, where only two had been employed the year before, 
and where only one hundred and one members had been reported, 
Grand Rapids having fifty-five and Lyons forty-six members. It 
seemed to be a desperate venture, but he pledged that, if he would 
give him the men he wanted for the Rapids and a good supply for 
Lyons, they should be struck off the list of missions at the next Con- 
ference, because he believed they would be made self-supporting. 
His wishes were met entirely in regard to the Rapids ; the men he 
wanted were appointed, and Lyons was well supplied; so that, in the 
Minutes for 1839, the appointments stand: Grand Rapids, Ransom 
R. Richards, Allen Staples; Lyons, Zebulon C. Brown, Levi Warriner. 
These were all indefatigable men and successful ministers. They are 
all deceased. 

During the winter of 1839-40, there were blessed revival seasons 
at several places on each of the charges. They returned 388 mem- 
bers at the Conference in 1840, making an increase of 287 members 
this year, and no missionary appropriation was asked for the next 
year. The Presiding Elder had his eye specially on Grand Rapids, 
and encouraged the brethren to bestow special attention on that 
locality, which they did. He rejoiced to find the labor was not in 
vain, for, when he visited the Circuit at the last Quarterly Meeting 
before Conference, which was held at the Rapids, he found a large 
and interesting congregation, with a good membership, and all in 
good heart. 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 345 

At this Quarterly Meeting the following little incident occurred: 
On the Sabbath, at the close of the sermon, the Presiding Elder 
called for the public collection, as usual, and made some remarks to 
the people to call forth their liberality. There were two young men 
sitting together, one of whom remarked to the other that if the Elder 
would tell them a good story he would put in a dollar. Without any 
knowledge of this remark, the Elder told the following anecdote, or 
rather, fact, as illustrating the returns which are often made to those 
who give liberally for the support of the cause of religion: "At the 
General Conference of 1840, which was held in the City of Baltimore, 
one of the delegates from the West, and who had never visited the 
City of Washington, set apart a certain sum of money to defray his 
expenses in visiting that city, being all that he could spare at that 
time for such a purpose ; but, before the day arrived which he had 
fixed upon to make the contemplated visit, information came to the 
Conference that a hurricane had swept over a certain town, and had 
destroyed the Methodist church ; that the Society was poor and 
unable to rebuild without assistance ; that a church was essential to 
their prosperity; and an appeal was made to the members of the 
Conference for aid. This delegate at once determined to forego 
the pleasure of making his visit, and contributed that sum for the 
benefit of the distressed Church. On the evening the Conference 
adjourned, a letter was put into his hand, which, when it was opened, 
he found to contain the exact amount he had contributed, and con- 
taining the request that he would accept of that sum from one who 
desired to be holy." This was the story. The young man put in 
his dollar On his way home from church he picked up a three- 
dollar bill, for which he could find no owner. He said he should 
always believe what that Elder said. 

Mr. Richards, the preacher in charge at the Rapids, was then 
in the fullness of his strength and in the activity of his labor. While 
his health endured he was a giant in labor, and Mr. Staples was 
even then proverbial for success. Both of these men fully sustained 
their reputation in the success they had this year. At the beginning, 
they had fifty-five members ; at the end, they reported one hundred 
and fifty -one, making a net increase of ninety-six. Lyons Circuit was 
increased from forty-six to 237, making an increase of 151. We have 
an increase for the valley, then, of 247, making 388 in two Circuits. 

Mr. Brown, in charge of Lyons, was a very sound-minded man, 
and could attend well to the business of the Circuit, and Mr. War- 
riner was an indefatigable laborer for the conversion of sinners. Mr. 
Warriner, by his warm and earnest exhortations, could lead them 



34^ HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

penitently to trust in Christ, and Mr. Brown could well and 
thoroughly indoctrinate them. By this combination of talent the 
work was both advanced and confirmed. In the light and glorious 
halo of Christian piety which constantly shone about these four men, 
all former embarrassments were nearly forgotten by the people. 
Their industry and piety laid a good foundation for Christian society 
in all this valley. 

We have again wandered away from Grand Rapids, and must 
now return. The Church in this place has met with various vicissi- 
tudes and drawbacks, according as the appointments of the preachers 
happened to be favorable or unfavorable. Sometimes they were 
full of hope, and sometimes nearly in despair. This town was 
erected into a Station in 1844, and Andrew M. Fitch was appointed 
to it, and remained two years. He found only about fifty members 
of the Church in the city, but at the end of his term he returned 
one hundred and thirty, having had a net increase of eighty 
members in the two years ; but the Society had advanced much 
in its position and stability, and in its moral influence in the 
community. This may be regarded as the beginning of a vigorous 
life to the cause in this city. It has gained a position from which it 
will never retreat or recede. For the next four years there were 
various successes, and the Society remained nearly stationary. In 
1850 Rev, F. A. Blades was appointed to this Station, and supplied 
it for two years, during which time the Society diminished three 
members, according to the numbers reported. But we cannot always 
determine precisely the numbers in a village Society from the pub- 
lished statistics, simply because sometimes there are small country 
classes connected with the village to be visited on a week-day even- 
ing, or it may be on Sunday afternoon, which, as soon as it becomes 
more convenient to visit them from some of the Circuits around, are 
lopped off from the village or city Station, greatly to the relief 
of the stationed preacher, but making an apparent decrease in 
his membership. The facts in this case were that his predecessor 
had withdrawn from the Church, and had so managed that he had 
taken nearly the whole Church with him. The first service Mr. 
Blades held was attended by only about a dozen persons, and before 
his term expired he had a full congregation, and restored the mem- 
bership to the former number, nearly. He had a successful term. 
The Society in this city was now in good heart, having gained much 
in strength, and were in a fair way to flourish. During the time of 
Mr. Blades's ministration, they had enlarged and improved their 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 347 

house of worship, and upon the whole had made much permanent 
advancement. 

In 1852 Rev. Andrew J. Eldred was assigned to this Station and 
remained two years. In the winter of his second year of labor there 
was a very glorious work of revival, in which it was estimated that 
more than three hundred were converted to God, a large portion 
of whom united with the Methodist Episcopal Church. This was 
an occasion of immense labor and anxiety, but one of glorious 
success. The Church interests were greatly advanced by this 
revival. A second charge was organized in this city — located on the 
west side of the river — in 1855, which has continued to grow and 
prosper. According to the Minutes of 1876, we now have four 
charges, embracing 770 members and probationers, and a Church 
property valued at $107, 200 — with all the appurtenances for the work 
of Sabbath Schools appropriate to such a membership. One of the 
above charges is among the Germans. 

Other denominations are here and in this valley. A Congrega- 
tional minister settled at Grand Rapids early and gathered a Church 
around him, which has grown and increased. The Presbyterians, 
the Baptists, and the Protestant Episcopalians, all have their Churches 
planted and are doing Church work according to their views of such 
work. They each have good and valuable Church property, and are 
well situated in the midst of the city. We present the statistics of 
the different denominations at one view : 



Methodist Episcopals 770 

Protestant Episcopals 767 



CoDgregationals 649 

Baptists 485 

Pres by terian s 282 

Luman R. Atwater was one of the early settlers in the Grand 
River Valley, and is worthy of a little notice. We here present a 
small but accurate engraving of him. He was born in Burlington, 
Vermont, June 23rd, 1810, and was born of the Spirit in Plattsburg, 
New York, January 1st, 1832, and joined the Methodist Episcopal 
Church on the 8th of the same month. Soon after his conversion 
he went South and stopped for some time in Millidgeville, Georgia, 
and in December, 1833, was appointed class-leader, which office he 
has filled most of the time since. He came to Michigan in May, 
1837, and settled in Lyons, Ionia County. Here he was soon ap- 
pointed class-leader and steward. He immediately opened what he 
called a Methodist tavern, that is, he opened his house for the enter- 
tainment of the itinerant ministers. In this he was greatly blessed and 
prospered for seven years. 

Mr. Atwater removed to Grand Rapids in May, 1844. Here he 



348 HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

immediately took all the honors the Church was competent to bestow. 
He has been " Superintendent of the Sabbath School for twenty-five 
years; class-leader, steward and trustee to the present time — a ser- 
vant of the Methodist Episcopal Church, but an heir of heaven." 

When the plan for incorporating lay delegation into the General 
Conference was adopted, Mr. Atwater was sent as one of the dele- 
gates to the Electoral Conference in 1871, and was urged very 
strongly to allow his name to be used for delegate to the General 
Conference, which he firmly declined, but was elected the first 
Reserve. At the Electoral Conference of 1875, he was elected the 
President of the body. He is a devoted and consistent Christian,, 
and has the confidence and respect of his brethren. He still resides, 
at Grand Rapids. We shared and enjoyed the hospitalities of Mr. 
Atwater and his good wife, who has gone to her heavenly rest, from 
the autumn of 1838 to 1842 while we were on the Marshall District,, 
and we found him to be a true man of God. 

Flint is a flourishing young city, having been incorporated as 
such in 1855, and contains about 8,000 inhabitants. It is situated 
on the Flint River, which here furnishes excellent water power. It 
is the seat of justice for Genesee county, and has the advantages of 
a good surrounding country. Pine grows in the vicinity in great 
abundance, so that pine lumber and shingles form a great part ot its 
commerce. The settlement was begun in 1835, an< ^ increased so 
rapidly as to attract considerable attention in 1836. The State 
Asylum for the Deaf and Dumb and Blind, whieh has been in suc- 
cessful operation for a number of years, is located here. 

The location is pleasant and healthy, and it will in time be 
the chief town in this part of the State. From the very beginning, 
attention has been given to education ; for before they had erected 
good habitations for themselves, the people provided the shantee 
school-house. They were the first in the State to adopt the union, 
or graded school system, and have one of the finest public school 
buildings in the State. The religious history is that with which we 
are more specially concerned at this time. 

A small settlement having sprung up at Saginaw in 1834, Rev. 
Bradford Frazee was appointed, from the Ohio Conference, as mis- 
sionary, and on one of his visits there he stopped at Flint and 
preached once, in the summer of 1835, which was the first religious 
service in that region, of which we have any account. In the autumn 
of 1835, Rev. Wm. H. Brockway was appointed to Saginaw Mission, 
made Flint a regular appointment, and organized a Society in 
July, 1836, consisting of Daniel S. Freeman and wife, James McAlister 




JL* K.JiWuUr- 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 35 I 

and wife, Benjamin F. Robinson and wife, Mrs. Miller \ the mother of 
Mrs. McAlister, and John Martin and wife. No leader was ap- 
pointed at this time, and O. F. North, who succeeded Mr. Brockway 
at the Conference in 1836, appointed Daniel S. Freeman leader. 
Mr. Brockway states, in regard to the place and work this first year, 
as follows : " I think at that time there were not more than four or 
five families on the ground now embraced in the city of Flint. I 
generally came from Saginaw every third week and preached at 
Flint, and also five miles north, at Mt. Morris, then called the 'Cold- 
water Settlement.' At Flint my home was generally at the tavern 
of Mr. Beach, and my preaching place his little bar-room. During 
the summer of 1836, a frame store was built by Messrs. Stage & 
Wright, opposite Beach's tavern. When the floor was laid we got 
permission to use the upper story, and I preached there once, I 
think, in July, 1836; and then and there the first class was organized. 
To the best of my remembrance, it consisted of nine persons ; most 
of them were from the settlements near Flint. The whole of 
Michigan was in one District, and the Rev. James Gilruth was Pre- 
siding Elder; but he never came further north than Pontiac." This 
small Church was soon after strengthened by the addition, by letter, 
of Dr. Joel Fairchild and wife, David A. Miller and Margarette 
Miller. 

Rev. Oscar F. North was appointed, at the Conference in 1836, 
to succeed Mr. Brockway. Mr. North's labors were very successful 
in the conversion of many, and in additions to the Church. These 
seemed like great revivals, and so they were in proportion to the 
number of inhabitants. A Quarterly Meeting was held at Flint on 
the 14th and 15th of January, 1837. The Presiding Elder not being 
present, and neither Mr. North, nor Rev. L. D. Whitney, who assisted 
him, being in Elders' orders, they could not have the sacrament. This 
was the first Quarterly Meeting held here. Another one occurred 
on the 30th July, 1837, at which the Presiding Elder, Rev. Wm. Herr, 
was present and officiated. This was the first sacramental season 
they ever had, and was the first time that Flint was favored by a 
visit from a Presiding Elder. 

In 1837, Flint River Mission appears in the Minutes of the Con- 
ference for the first time, with Luther D. Whitney for preacher in 
charge, who continued for two years, and was quite successful in ad- 
vancing the Church. 

The first movement towards building a church was in the 
autumn of 1839. It, however, was not till 1841 that they secured 
the grounds now owned by the Court Street Church, and commenced 



35 2 HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

the erection of a building. Rev. F B. Bangs was the preacher in 
charge. He was returned to the charge in 1842. During the sum- 
mer of 1842 the church building was raised and covered. This 
building was enlarged, burned down and replaced by a much finer 
and better one. A Quarterly Conference held in Flint, June 24th, 
1843, E. H. Pilcher, Presiding Elder, and F. B. Bangs, preacher, was 
a very important one, from the business done. The trustees re- 
ported a parsonage completed, with a debt remaining unpaid of only 
$62.47-100. The most important thing was that William Blades and 
Daniel S. Freeman were licensed to preach. Both these men have 
done very effective work as local preachers, and considerable good 
work as itinerants. During Mr. Bangs's term the Sunday Schools 
received great attention, and the interests of the Church generally 
were prosperous. 

Flint was made a Station separate from the country in 1847. 
Since then the Station has been nobly supplied and has prospered 
greatly. There was one dark hour that came to this Church. They 
had struggled hard and had erected a church at a cost of f 4,000, and 
had enlarged and repaired it at a cost of $3,000, and were feeling 
that they were now in a condition for work and religious enjoyment, 
when 'on Tuesday night, the 19th of March, 1861, the church was 
discovered to be on fire, and in an hour it was reduced to ashes,with 
all its contents, Sunday School library, musical instruments — in short 
everything which it contained, as well as the beautiful house, was 
consumed. There was no insurance. The fire was undoubtedly the 
work of an incendiary, probably incited to this dastardly act by the 
liquor men, who considered themselves aggrieved by the activity of 
the Methodist Church people in the temperance movement.' From 
this disaster originated a new church located on the north side 
of the river, called Garland Street Church. So there are now 
two Stations in the city of Flint. According to the report in the 
Minutes for 1876, there are 683 members and probationers; two 
churches and two parsonages, aggregating f 42,000 in value, with 
Sunday Schools correspondingly prosperous, having all necessary 
apparatus and fixtures for success. 

The Methodists were not left alone to minister to this people, 
but others came in and organized Churches. Rev. Mr. Dudley 
organized a Presbyterian Church in 1837, consisting of seven mem- 
bers. They at first adopted the Congregational form of organiza- 
tion, but subsequently changed it to the Presbyterian form of 
government. The Protestant Episcopal Church was organized 
December 25th, 1839; and the Baptist Church was constituted in 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 353 

1853, consisting at the time of twelve members. There is also a 
Congregational Church organized at a later day. These all have 
valuable houses of worship. 

The Annual Conference has been entertained here at three dif- 
ferent times, to wit * In 1855, Bishop Ames presiding; in 1865, Bishop 
Clark in the chair; and in 1875, Bishop Harris presiding. The ses-^ 
sion each time was in the month of September. The Conference was 
grandly entertained, and the sessions were occasions of great inter- 
est to the Methodist people. 

As usual, we subjoin the statistics of the five denominations: 



Methodist Episcopal 683 

Presbyterian t 244 

Congregational. 



Protestant Episcopal 263 

Baptist 329 

186 



Rev. William Blades has been referred to in these pages be- 
fore, and now, as we supposed we had finished what we had to say in 
regard to Flint, the announcement comes to us that he has been 
taken to his reward. This event occurred early in May, 1877, at 
Flint, where he had resided for many years. We avail ourself of 
the following biographical sketch, which was read at the funeral by 
Dr. George W. Fish, whose graceful and appreciative words we 
heartily endorse. The sketch was published in the Michigan 
Christian Advocate, and is as follows : 

" I know not why the tearful, though pleasant, task of pronoun- 
cing a brief biography of our venerable and beloved friend should 
have been assigned to me, unless it be that an uninterrupted friend- 
ship extending over a period of almost thirty-eight years, and in its 
nature not unlike that which existed between David and Jonathan in 
the olden time, may be supposed to fit one for such a duty. Very 
pleasant hast thou been unto me, my brother ; thy love was wonder- 
ful, passing the love of ordinary worldly friendship. The earthly life 
that has so recently closed has been a very plain and simple one. I 
am inclined to the opinion that the inventory of his realty — bonds 
and mortgages, stocks and cash in bank — will not cover many pages. 
of Tegal cap ;' nor will there be a fierce contest of greedy heirs and 
unscrupulous lawyers, about the distribution of an estate. And yet, 
I think, to-day, the possesions of Ward, Vanderbilt, Astor and 
Stewart combined, shrivel into insignificance beside the dying legacy 
left by this good man 

" Of what the world calls culture, learning and science, he 
claimed no great share ; nevertheless, in the sphere in which God 
placed him, he has accomplished more than Tyndal, Spencer, or any 
of their compeers. His has been a beautiful, harmonious, Christian 



354 HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

life. What can be more cheering and desirable than such a life with 
such an ending ? 

" William Blades was born in Worcester County, Maryland, in 
1798. His parents were God-fearing people. His father dying 
while he was yet a mere child, the road by which his boyish feet 
found their way up to manhood was a rough and rugged one. At 
the age of nineteen years he was converted, and joined the Method- 
ist Episcopal Church, of which he remained a " lively member" for 
sixty-one years, and until the Great Bishop transferred him to the 
Church triumphant, where he doubtless had a place for him. In his 
boyhood he learned the hatter's trade, at which he wrought until he 
came to Michigan, when he became a tiller of the soil. 

" About fifty-six years ago, in his native State, he married her 
who still survives him, and together they have shared the lights and 
shadows of an eventful and protracted pilgrimage. From Maryland 
he removed with his family to Newark, New Jersey, thence to West- 
ern New York, and still later, in 1834, to Michigan, and settled in 
the town of Grand Blanc, and has resided in this county ever since. 
He was elected, and served as magistrate, and also as sheriff of the 
county, altogether for a term of ten or twelve years. My recollec- 
tion of his public services is that he was noted as a peacemaker, 
and, consequently, he was not particularly popular with the court 
men and lawyers, one of whom declared that 'if the squire went on 
in that way much longer, he would dry up the courts altogether, as 
he was always advising litigants to settle their disputes between 
themselves, and not take them into court,' and that he almost always 
succeeded in persuading them to do so. In 1848, he was elected to 
the State Legislature, and served during the first session ever held 
at the present capital. In all these places of trust and responsibility, 
he proved himself worthy and well qualified. The few aged men 
and women who were his associates in the olden times, and who still 
survive him, will bear me out in saying that as a private citizen and 
public servant he has acted well the part assigned him. With very 
pronounced political opinions, he merged the partisan in the patriot, 
and loved his country with a devotion and constancy that knew no 
abatement. 

" In 1833, before leaving East Avon, New York, Mr. Blades was 
licensed as an exhorter, and on the 24th of June, 1843, tne Quarterly 
Conference of this Church voted him a local preacher's license. In 
1847, ne was ordained Deacon by Bishop Morris, at Ypsilanti, and 
in 1864 he was admitted to Elder's orders, and ordained by Bishop 
Baker at the Adrian Conference. He was an efficient and successful 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 355 

worker in the itinerant ranks, during which time he traveled Flint, 
White Lake, Grand Blanc, Flushing, and Genesee Circuits. When the 
infirmities of age and failing health compelled him to retire from the 
more active itinerant work, he did effective service in the local ranks, 
in which capacity he was known as a most efficient worker — he has 
attended more funerals and officiated at more weddings than most 
of his ministerial brethren who are in the regular work. And when 
unable to preach at all, he has served his brethren in the capacity of 
class-leader, which office he filled till a very recent date. And here 
allow me to say that, to my mind, Father Blades was one of the best 
class-leaders I have ever known. Since this couple, Father and 
Mother Blades, commenced life's journey together, they have given 
back to the Lord six darling children whom He had lent them for a 
time, and now the father has gone to join them in the 'house of many 
mansions.' For about two months, our brother had been waiting 
patiently and cheerfully for his Master's call. Though a great suf- 
ferer at times, he had been wonderfully uplifted and sustained. To 
those who have visited and conversed with him during those weary 
weeks of suffering, it is unnecessary for me to say that the sunshine 
of the dear Saviour's countenance has never been obscured by a 
single cloud, and we have felt that Father Blades's sick-room was 
4 privileged beyond the common walks of virtuous life — quite in the 
verge of Heaven.' In reviewing thus hastily such a life, we come 
to the conclusion that there is not much over which to mourn. With 
a brave heart and honest purpose, he settled in this then western 
wilderness, and has lived to see the rude frontier changed to a pros- 
perous commonwealth. The somewhat heterogenous elements of 
our rude pioneer civilization, during his lifetime, have crystalized 
into harmonious beauty, and to this result our departed brother has 
contributed his full share. His life, extending as it does over a 
period of more than three-quarters of a century, rich in historic 
memories, affords a beautiful and instructive example to our young 
men. 

"There is so much to commend, and so little to criticise, that I 
venture to hold up the example of my dear brother's life as being as 
near a perfect model as poor humanity ever attains. It seems to me 
like a beautiful poem, or a bouquet of fragrant summer flowers. As 
the father and head of his family, his example is worthy of imitation. 
He honored God, and his children have risen up to call him bless- 
ed. As a citizen, he contributed his full share towards the defence 
of virtue, truth and honesty, and towards the condemnation of vice 
in every form. As a Christian, and a devoted Churchman, his love 



356 HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

of the Bible and its Divine Author, and his absolute faith in its 
teaching, touched his lips and inspired his heart. It would be a 
blessing to this world of ours to have a thousand such men added, 
rather than one taken away. 

" I will not attempt to offer a word to this circle of numerous 
mourners, but leave that duty to be performed by one better quali- 
fied to do it justice. In the day when the Lord cometh to make up 
his jewels, Father Blades will doubtless be there, with a crown and 
1 everlasting joy upon his head,' and he will bring a multitude of 
redeemed with him, as sheaves gathered by him for the Master. 
Such lives are the richest heritage of the Church." 

The name of Luther Lee, D. D., has long been familiarly 
known to the world as a minister of the Gospel, of great power as a 
controversalist, as a writer, and as a friend to the slave. In his early 
years, he acquired the sobriquet of "The Logical Lee," a name to 
which he was justly entitled, and which he still honors. 

Luther Lee was born in the State of New York, on the 30th 
day of November, 1800. From this it will be seen that he is nearly 
seventy-eight years old. He was converted, and joined the Method- 
ist Episcopal Church, in 1820. He was early licensed, but did not 
join the itinerant ranks until 1827. When the slavery question 
began to agitate the Church, in 1836, Mr. Lee soon took the side of 
the oppressed. In 1843, he took a prominent part in the organiza- 
tion of a new Methodist Church, which was known as the "True 
Wesleyan Methodist Connection in America." The great founda- 
tion of this new body was anti-slavery. Dr. Lee continued to take 
a very active and prominent part in this Church, until in 1867, when 
the cause of his separation from his mother Church being removed 
by the abolition of slavery in the nation, he, with several others, re- 
turned, and were received into the Detroit Conference at the ses- 
sion held in Saginaw City in September, 1867. He has since filled 
the Stations of Flint and Ypsilanti, but has now, for the last few 
years, been placed on the superannuated list. He resides at Flint, 
where he has many friends and admirers, in the enjoyment of the 
sweet consolations of grace. Dr. Lee is a very able divine and 
writer, and still wields a vigorous pen. He is a very strong advo- 
cate of total abstinence and a prohibitory liquor law. 





LUTHER LEE, D. D. 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 357 



CHAPTER XIII. 

Jackson — Appears 1839 — County Organized — Judges — Anecdote — Hard Name — Beading Meet* 
ings — First Sermon — Society Organized — Quarterly Meeting — Martin Flint — Vicissitudes — ■ 
Numbers — Sabbath School — Presbyterian Church — Congregational Church — Baptist Church — 
Elizabeth Thompson — Difficulties — The County — Camp Meeting — Spring Arbor — Revival — 
C. M. Pilcher — Maria Fitzgerald — Charles Brown — Terrible Death — Station — Church Built — 
Struggle for Lots — Spencer — Statistics — Battle Creek — Church Organized — Names — Circuit 
— Revival Incident — Anecdotes of Bible Distribution — Albion — College — Preston and Endow- 
ment — Revivals — Principals and Presidents — C. F. Stockwell — Dr. Hinman — Organization 
of Churches — Quarterly Meeting— Episode— Revival Meetings— Dr. Grant— Dr. Jocelyn — 
Fiske — Lansing— Early Preachers— Society Organized— Population— Right Policy— Appears 
in Minutes— District — Conference Session— Mrs. Richards— Ionia— Methodist Polity— Mon- 
nett— Station— Church First Organized— Z. C. Brown— George Bignell— R. Sapp — Romantic 
Incident — Other Churches— Conclusion. 

ACKSON, the county-seat of Jackson County, is situated on 
the Grand River, seventy-six miles from Detroit, according 
to the railroad survey. It is favored with some water-power, 
but the chief dependence is on steam for manufacturing- 
purposes. It has become a great railroad center, and has the 
dj' (^ advantages of the following railroads : Michigan Central ; 
i </ T Jackson Branch of the Michigan Southern ; Jackson, Lansing 
$ & Saginaw; Fort Wayne, Jackson & Saginaw; The Air Line, 
and Grand River Valley. It is centrally located in the county, and 
can never have any considerable competition from villages spring- 
ing up around it. 

The first location of land or purchase from the General Gov- 
ernment was made — and it was the first in the county — by Mr. 
Lemuel Blackman, in the autumn of 1829, which was quickly fol- 
lowed by entries by Dr. B. H. Packard and Isaiah W. Bennett. In 




358 HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

February, 1830, a few shanties were erected, and in the spring, 
Mr. Blackman's family, with a few others, came in, and fixed their 
abode here. In the spring of 1830, a village was laid out by 
Lemuel Blackman, Dr. Benjamin H. Packard, and Isaiah W. Ben- 
nett, proprietors. The county-seat was fixed here by commission- 
ers, and confirmed by Governor Cass in February, 1831. The 
Fourth of July, 1830, was celebrated, with a great deal of patriotism, 
in the midst of the forest trees, as many of them were yet standing. 
It is to be regretted that many more of them had not been left 
as ornaments to the town. Mr. John Durand, an old gentleman 
and the only praying man in the new settlement, officiated as chap- 




FIRST M. E. CHURCH, JACKSON. 

lain. This Mr. Durand was a Methodist, and a very pious, consist- 
ent Christian, of a sound mind, but of small capacity for any kind of 
public speaking. But his services on this occasion were delightedly 
received. He has since died in the quiet and peaceful hope of the 
Christian. 

The difficulties connected with the first settlement of this place, 
and the heroism required to accomplish it, can hardly be appreciated 
at this day. The imagination may do something towards it, when it 
is remembered that, in 1830, when the first few families settled 
here, there were but two or three houses on the road west of Ann 
Arbor, so that they were, in fact, pushing out forty miles into the 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 359* 

wilderness. It is true, the route lay mostly through oak openings,, 
but these were traversed by many marshes and marshy brooks, 
which rendered the passage very difficult. All their provisions, as 
well as household goods, had to be conveyed on wagons drawn by 
oxen. To the naturally timid, there was even a worse difficulty 
than all these in the many Indians who still lingered about these 
parts. The name of old Pe-wei-tam, a savage-looking old fellow, 
who frequented these parts, was a source of terror to the timid. 

But the stakes were driven, the difficulties and dangers were 
braved, a town was made, which by the Legislature of the State was 
created a city in 1857, and now rejoicing in that title, numbers 
about 14,000 inhabitants. The original name was Jacksonburg,. 
which was considered too long, and the burg was dropped off. 

The County of Jackson was organized in the winter of 1833.- 
The first judges were Dr. Oliver Russ, as presiding judge, and 
Samuel Wing and William R. DeLand, associates. Only a few terms 
of court were held by these judges before there was a change in the 
judicial organization, and Wm. A. Fletcher as Circuit Judge, and 
Wm. R. DeLand as associate, were appointed by George B. Porter, 
the Governor. The first term of court for this new county was held 
on the 3rd day of June, 1834. This is the beginning of the records. 
Dr. Samson Stoddard was the County Clerk. 

There are some amusing anecdotes told of Judge Russ, which 
indicate that he was better qualified to deal out pills — he was a good 
doctor — than to preside over a court. All the business of the first 
term of his court was transacted in a part of a day. When he was 
called on to charge the Grand Jury, he stood with one foot on a round 
of the' chair before him, and, leaning his elbow down on the back of 
it, talked to them for a few minutes in relation to their duties.. 
He was very desirous to have a bill of indictment found against a 
grocer for selling liquor to the Indians, but the Grand Jury found 
themselves a little troubled about how to make it out, and referred 
the matter to the Judge, who took up the pen and wrote : 

John Doe to Jackson County, Dr., 
To selling liquor to Indians $20 00 

remarking, " that is a good enough bill." 

Whether the man was ever convicted on such an indictment 
tradition saith not. 

It must be confessed that Jackson obtained a hard name at an 
early day of its existence, from which it did not recover for a long 
time. So when it was determined that the Penitentiary should be 
located here, it was sneeringly remarked that it was only necessary 



360 HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

to wall in the town to furnish it with fit inmates. It is true there 
were some causes which operated to give it this hard name. Many 
of the early settlers were poor men, and some of them were men 
who had failed in business at the East. They were not able to make 
the necessary appropriations and outlay of means to make the place 
inviting and healthy. The result was that the stagnant water remain- 
ing in the unworked streets produced disease and death, and the hab- 
itations were repulsive. Another thing which operated unfavorably 
was that, in the time of the wildcat banks in 1836-38, there were two 
banks opened here which ran but a short race. When Commissioner 
Felch came around to investigate their affairs — their solvency — he 
found in one of them several boxes containing specie, which, upon 
examination, were found only to have a layer of specie, beneath 
which were nails. No very considerable improvement occurred until 
after the Central Railroad was completed to this point, in 1841. This 
made some difference in the activities in business. But time was 
necessary to wipe out the reproach attached to the town, which now 
has been done, and Jackson is considered one of the very interest- 
ing cities of the Peninsular State. 

Soon after the first settlers had seated themselves on the soil, 
Mr. Blackman, though not a professor of religion, thought it 
too bad that the Sabbath should be spent in idleness without any 
kind of religious services. It was determined to call the people to- 
gether and have a sermon read. The first Sabbath the sermon was 
read without any prayer, as there was not a praying man in the 
settlement at that time. These reading services were kept up until 
they could be supplied with preaching. Some religious men came in 
shortly after, so that they had prayers connected with readings, but 
it was not till in the fall of 1831 that they could be supplied with 
preaching on the Sabbath, and then for a year or two more, only 
once in two weeks. 

The first sermon ever preached here was by a Baptist minister, 
who had come here on business, and preached on a week-day evening 
— January 26th, 1831. The preachers on Ann Arbor Circuit having 
been solicited to take this place into their Circuit, E. H. Pilcher, the 
junior preacher, visited Jackson for the purpose, and preached Janu- 
ary 27th, 1 83 1, in the evening. This was the second sermon, but it 
was the first by any one who came for that purpose, the former one 
having been merely incidental to the preacher's private business. 
The services were held in a log tavern, kept by Wm. R. Thompson. 
Mr. Pilcher was followed, in two weeks, by Rev. Henry Colclazer, 
the preacher in cha^g* 7 ; from thenceforward they supplied it regu- 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 36 1 

larly once in two weeks, on a week-day, until the Conference. After 
the Conference in September, 1831, the Circuit was so arranged as 
to give them preaching on the Sabbath, still only once in two weeks. 
It was included in Tecumseh Circuit, Elijah H. Pilcher and Ezekiel 
S. Gavit, preachers. 

In July, 1 83 1, Rev. Henry Colclazer, preacher in charge of Ann 
Arbor Circuit, organized a Methodist Society or Church, consisting, 
at its first organization, of John Durand and wife, Ezekiel T. Critchet 
and wife, Or in Gregory and wife, and Mrs. Judge DeLand. These 
were increased shortly after by several others. Even those who were 
members of other churches united, so as to have church privileges, 
until a church of their original choice might be organized. The first 
Quarterly Meeting, including love-feast and sacrament, was held by 
Rev. E. H. Pilcher, assisted by Rev. Elias Pattee, April 14-15, 1832. 
The services were held in the sitting-room of the tavern kept by Wm. 
R. Thompson, who, by the way, had thrown out the liquor from his 
bar some time before. This was a peculiarly interesting occasion, 
not because of the numbers, but because of the interest felt by the 
pious present, some of whom had been deprived of a communion 
season for about two years, and because of the manifestation of 
Divine grace. This was the first Communion of the Lord's Table 
ever held in this county, or even west of Ann Arbor, in this State. 
At this meeting Martin Flint, a young man, was converted and joined 
the Church. His was the first case of conversion that had occurred 
in the county. He came out clear and strong in his experience in 
the love-feast. He became a very consistent and devoted Christian, 
and finally fell a martyr to his religion, dying of pulmonary con- 
sumption a few years after, developed by blows inflicted by a young 
man. They were associates, and this young man was so offended at 
Flint for being a Christian that he would fall upon him and pound him 
with the fists on his back and chest, which blows were never resisted. 
If he could ever find him engaged in secret prayer, as he did 
occasionslly, he would be sure to fall upon and pound him. 
He finally dealt out to him several severe blows on the breast and 
stomach with the butt-end of a whip, which developed the disease of 
which he died. He died in great peace. The Church had quite an 
accession during this year by letter — two families of Thompsons, in 
which there was a mother, two sons and their wives, joined in No- 
vember, 1 83 1, 

The Methodist Church here has had to pass through various 
changes of prosperity and adversity — seasons of great revival and 
dimunition — and now have a beautiful house of worship, valued at 



362 HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

$75,000, and, according to the report for 1876, 480 members and 
probationers. 

The greatest glory of this Church is the Sabbath School, which 
has been under the continuous superintendency of J. Henry Pilcher 
for about eighteen years, with but one year's intermission. It is 
said to be one of the most enthusiastic and successful schools in the 
State. As reported in the Minutes of 1876, the school numbered 
380 members, which is very large for a town of that size. 

As will hereafter be seen, for several years the Methodists had 
the entire ground, but, as it was called a hard place, and the minis- 
ters found very little support, they rather shunned it, and did not 
even name the Circuit after it while there was any other place which 
could well be substituted for it. In this way, others stepped in, and 
furnished the people with a more frequent supply of ministerial 
labor, and entered into the harvest the Methodists had prepared, 
who did not wake up to the matter until it was too late to recover 
all they might have retained. 

Rev. John D. Pearce, a Presbyterian minister, who had settled 
at Marshall, preached here a few times in 1832, which was the first 
preaching by that denomination ; but a Church was not organized 
or constituted until the 10th of June, 1837, when Rev. Marcus Har- 
rison organized one consisting of thirteen members. Mr. Harrison 
became their pastor, supporting himself, in .part, by teaching, and 
labored with considerable success. He was originally a Congrega- 
tionalism and so were a portion of the members ; but, as there were 
no Churches of that order in the State, according to a certain plan 
of union they all united in making it Presbyterian. They continued 
such until in 1841, when, some difficulties having arisen in the ad- 
ministration of Church discipline, and finding it very difficult, as they 
thought, to get rid of some disorderly members, a meeting was 
called, and, on the 6th day of March, 1841, a Congregational Church 
was organized, consisting oi fifty -six members, taking the most of 
the members of the Presbyterian Church. The few left endeavored 
to maintain an existence, until 1846, when they merged themselves 
with the Congregational Church, and have so remained. A very 
extensive revival occurred in the Church in the spring of 1847, under 
the labors of Rev. Mr. Avery, an evangelist, who had been engaged 
to assist the pastor, Rev. G. L. Foster. There were estimated to be, 
at least, two hundred conversions, most oi whom united with that 
Church, but quite a number joined the Methodist Church, under the 
pastorate of E. H. Pilcher. Some very hard cases were converted, 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 363 

who have remained steadfast, while some relapsed into their old 
ways. 

The regular, or " Close Communion," Baptist Church, was or- 
ganized in 1834. The Society was very small, and was supplied then 
with only occasional preaching. They have grown, and have a good 
house of worship. 

The Protestant Episcopal Church was organized in 1837, by 
Rev. Mr. Cummings, of Ann Arbor, and Rev. George Fox was the 
first Rector. They have a large and commodious house of worship. 

We will here introduce to notice a venerable lady, who, though 
she did not reside at Jackson at the time of her decease, was one of 
the early members in this place, having joined the Church here on 
November 20th, 1831, by letter. A peculiar interest gathers around 
her character from the fact that she was one of the earliest converts 
to Methodism in New England. The following sketch is from the 
pen of Rev. Henry Colclazer, who knew her well, and was her pastor 
at the time of her death. 

" Mrs. Elizabeth Thompson, the subject of the following bio- 
graphical sketch, was one of the first persons who espoused the 
cause of Methodism in the New England States ; she was one of 
those who dared to stand in defense of the truth in the days of 
severe trial and and danger. While her piety recommends her to 
all the lovers of Christianity, her connection with the rise of Meth- 
odism in our own country presents her as an object of esteem and 
veneration to all those who look with emotions of pleasure upon the 
prevalence of those principles which she embraced at so early a 
period. 

"She was born in the town of Norwalk, in the State of Connecti- 
cut, on the 5th of August, 1770. Her father, Mr. William Raymond, 
was one of the earliest emigrants to that region. During the Revo- 
lutionary War he was a seaman, and commanded a merchant vessel, 
which was chased by a British ship. After great exertion, he suc- 
ceeded in saving his life, but had the misfortune to lose his vessel. 
His mother was the daughter of Mrs. Hoyt — a widow lady at that 
time — whose house was the only one left standing when the British 
destroyed the village of Norwalk. Although the subject of this 
memoir was but eight or ten years old at the time, yet she retained 
a vivid recollection of those scenes of peril and suffering throughout 
her life. 

"In the year 1788, when our sister was in the eighteenth year 
of her age, Boston Mills and Daniel Smith were preaching on the 
Circuit, which included Norwalk, under the superintendence of Jesse 



364 HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

Lee, Presiding Elder. After meeting much opposition, Miss Ray- 
mond succeeded in becoming a regular attendant upon the services 
of these men of God. In a short time, her mind became impressed 
with the truth, and she resolved to embrace the doctrines of free 
grace and full salvation, and it was not long before she gave evi- 
dence, not only that she had embraced those sentiments theoretically, 
but that she had become a subject of the work of grace in the deliv- 
erance of her soul from sin. Her parents and many of her friends 
at this time were members of the Presbyterian Church, and, as would 
be supposed, exercised all their authority to bring her over to 
the orthodox faith, and threatened her with banishment from their 
society if she would not renounce her heretical sentiments. But 
all their efforts proved unavailing ; for, the more she was opposed, 
the stronger she became in the faith ; and, in the twentieth year of 
her age, she became a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, 
and remained, for some time, the only member in the town of 
Norwalk, thus giving evidence of a superiority of intellect and a 
love for the truth uncommon under such circumstances ; she stood 
like an isolated being upon a rock in the midst of the ocean, while 
wave after wave dashed in fury around her. 

"In 1792, she was united in marriage to Mr, John Thompson, 
who had taken an active part in the celebrated Battle of Monmouth. 

"After several removals, in 1831, she came to this Territory, in 
order to enjoy, during her last days, the society of her children who 
are living in and about Ann Arbor. Since her removal to this country, 
she has been looked upon by the members of our Church as a relic 
of bygone days ; in looking upon her, we insensibly mingled with our 
feelings some of that enthusiasm which animates a lover of his country 
when he sees standing before him one of the patriots of the Revo- 
lution ; he is but a man, but he venerates the man, because his name 
stands united with the most glorious deeds recorded in the annals 
of his country. So stood our sister among us, as a monument of 
the days of trial, when our fathers laid the foundation of that revival 
of religion which has spread so universally throughout our country. 

" On the 1 7th of November last, while living with her son, Wm. 
R. Thompson, a disease of a pulmonary character, with which she 
had been afflicted for some years, came to a crisis, and terminated 
her earthly existence on the Sabbath following. Her sun went down 
in splendor and triumph. 

" Her funeral sermon was preached to the largest congregation 
ever assembled in this country, on Sabbath afternoon, the 24th of 
November, from a text of her own selection, in Revelations, 'Blessed 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 365 

are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth ; yea, saith the 
Spirit, that they may rest from their labors, and their works do follow 
them.' "H. Colclazer." 

"Ann Arbor, December 4th, 1833." 

Mrs. Thompson was present when Jesse Lee preached his first 
sermon in Norwalk, and became interested in his cause at once. He 
was refused the use of the church, and he preached under a tree in 
the streets. Under this sermon she was convinced of sin, and never 
had rest after until she found it through faith in Jesus Christ. She 
was a woman of deep and constant piety. We knew her well. 

To carry on the work in this place, as in all new places, perse- 
vering labor was required, Some idea of the labor to be performed, 
and the difficulties to be overcome, by the first ministers, in order to 
furnish the Word of Life to these people in the wilderness, may be 
found in the statement of a few facts. When Mr. Flicker, as he was 
the first minister who ever visited this place for the purpose of 
preaching, first went through from Ann Arbor in January, 1831, there 
were but four or five houses on the way between the two places. 
The ground was covered with snow, and the path was but dim ; the 
marshes were frozen over then, but when they thawed out in the 
spring they were found to be very difficult to cross, and sometimes 
large circuits had to be made to find a safe crossing place, and then 
often the horse would mire down. This lonesome and difficult road 
was to be traveled over twice, every visit, on horseback, making a 
distance of eighty miles, to preach twice to a few people, as Grass 
Lake was supplied at the same time. Yet these trips were regularly 
made by Colclazer and Pilcher up to August, 1831. As strange as 
it may now seem, Mr. Pilcher, having to go from Jackson to Ann 
Arbor in October of that year, and to cross Grand River on the 
main street, found the round logs so afloat that his horse got down 
among them, so that he had to dismount and manage to extricate him 
from the logs, and to make him swim by the end of the bridge. 

We may be permitted to relate another incident of travel con- 
nected with the work of supplying Jackson. On the 28th of Novem- 
ber, 1 83 1, the weather became suddenly cold, so that in less than 
twenty-four hours the ground was frozen solid and the streams par- 
tially. Mr. Pilcher, preacher in charge, was at Jackson, on his 
westward tour. On the 29th he set out. When he reached the 
Sandstone Creek, which was unbridged, he found it partly frozen over. 
In order to cross it the horseman had to go into the creek, and then 
pass up its channel about ten rods to reach a place where the marshy 
bank could be passed. At this time the creek was nearly frozen 



366 HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

over. The edges were quite hard, leaving but a narrow space in the 
middle — not wide enough for a horse to pass. The creek was about 
two rods wide at this place. 

What was to be done ? Here now was a difficulty. This creek 
must be crossed to reach the preaching place, which was a little more 
than a mile distant. Looking about, he found an old handspike, or 
small lever, with which he broke the ice next the shore, so as to get 
his horse started in, then mounting him, he would strike forward and 
break down the ice. When the middle of the stream was reached, 
the water was found to be nearly up to the skirts of the saddle, but with 
feet and handspike he worked a passage up to the point of egress. 
The wind was blowing fearfully cold at the time. Then a new difficulty 
met him. The depth of water brought the ice so high that the horse 
could not be induced to mount it, and he himself had become so cold 
and weary that he could not well use his club at such disadvantage ; 
but to go back was contrary to his motto. After beating on the ice 
for a while he managed to get his horse by the side of it, so as 
to dismount, when he broke it down to better advantage, which 
having done he brought the horse up by the side again and 
remounted, and now by much coaxing and some threatening, he in- 
duced the animal to lift his fore feet onto the ice which settled down 
under them. After repeated trials in this way, a passage was made 
to the shore, and both passed over. It required nearly, or quite, 
three hours to work this passage. The work was done, and now a 
mile more had to be traveled, over a rough, hubby road, before find- 
ing shelter. Man and beast were pretty well covered with ice, and 
thoroughly chilled. 

As Jackson is the chief locality of interest in the county, we 
may cluster all the Methodist history around it. As settlements 
sprang up at different points, as at Grass Lake, Leoni, Napoleon, 
Sandstone, Spring Arbor, Concord and Parma, they were at once 
supplied with Methodist preaching, and Societies were organized. 
The settlement of this part of the country was so rapid that it kept the 
Itinerants constantly on the alert to find the new places for preach- 
ing. They could not wait for roads to be made, but followed any 
kind of trail they could find to pass from one point to another. 

The first Camp Meeting held in this county was held in the 
edg:.> of the town of Pulaski in the summer of 1837. It was a time 
of very great interest. The scattered inhabitants gathered together, 
and dwelt in tents for a week, and the Lord was with them in power 
— many were converted. From this Camp Meeting a revival of 
great interest sprung up at Spring Arbor. Here meetings were 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 367 

held for about two weeks, with great profit to the cause of Christ 
Spring Arbor is the name of a township in this county, origin- 
ating in the fact that there are a great many beautiful springs in it. 
The first who settled here was a Mr. William Smith, with his wife 
and son-in-law (Mr. Swain), and his wife. They came here in 1831, 
and settled where the Indians had formerly had a village. The country 
was beautiful in its wildness. Mr. Smith, wife, and daughter were 
professors of religion of the Christian order. Dr. B. H. Packard, a 
Methodist, settled by the side of Mr. Smith in the spring of 1835. 
Previous to this time, they had had but occasional preaching, now it 
was regularly established, and a Society formed. As this was the 
point settled upon at this time for the establishment of a Methodist 
Seminary, it attracted a good deal of attention, and high hopes were 
entertained of building up a village of importance, and the Circuit 
was named Spring Arbor rather than Jackson. These bright visions 
of greatness faded away when, in 1837, the project of building a 
Seminary was found to be impracticable. But this is wandering 
away from the revival, which occurred in August, 1837, following 
the Camp Meeting. This was a very valuable revival, and there 
were some noble accessions to the Church. There were two cases 
of conversion during this revival worthy of notice. 

Mr. was a man of a strong and well-educated mind, but 

greatly averse to religion — rather skeptical in regard to the truth 
of the Bible. He was a large, well-built man, and very much of a 
gentleman, except when the subject of religion was introduced to 
him. In the course of his advancement to manhood, he had ac- 
quired a most unreasonable prejudice, and, even, a spirit of rancor 
against all Churches. This gentleman became deeply and power- 
fully awakened to a need of a Saviour. The struggle with him was 
a severe one, but short. The stubbornness of his will and the pride 
of his heart rose against the convictions of his judgment and his 
feelings. His better emotions finally triumphed, and, one evening, 
he declared his desire to become a Christian. Earnest and fervent 
prayers were offered for him that night. The meeting closed. He 
returned home, not to sleep, but to pray. That night, his feelings 
became so intense that he sought solitude for prayer. While alone, 
pleading, in the agony of his soul for salvation, Jesus appeared to 
him as his Saviour in power, and spoke peace to him. His whole 
nature was melted and subdued, and formed in the mould of love. 
He became, emphatically, as a little child. All was tenderness and 
love. The next day his very countenance was radiant with the light 
of his soul. Never was man more clearly converted than he. His 



36S HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

theme was the power of grace. He was a man of such talents and 
education, and his conversion so clear and powerful, that great 
hopes were entertained of his usefulness in the cause of religion. 
These hopes, alas ! were destined to be disappointed. He hesitated 
to join the Church ; he gave place to his old prejudices ; he began 
to cavil at doctrines and discipline. There was no Church in that 
part of the country, at that time, except the Methodist Episcopal, and, 
though they had been instrumental in his awakening and conversion, 
he set himself to find difficulties and objections in doctrine and dis- 
cipline, and, finally, he could not satisfy himself with any Church. 
He never united with any, but lost his religious life. He became 
very disconsolate. Had he united himself at once to the Church, 
and entered earnestly on the duties demanded, he would have been 
a bright and shining light ; but, alas ! he turned away, and his light 
was lost in the darkness. 

We now present a case in contrast with this, occurring at the 
same meeting. Maria Fitzgerald was a young lady of a strong and 
well-cultivated mind, and possessed a very determined will. She 
resided about two miles from the place of meeting. Her parents 
were good people, and strict Calvinistic Baptists. They had instilled 
their Calvinistic views into her mind thoroughly. In her estimation, 
any excitement or noise at a religious meeting was very much out 
of order, and to shout, when happy, was a shame. One evening, 
being at the meeting, she was very powerfully awakened to a sense 
of her guilt and need of a Saviour, but resisted all the persuasions 
of her friends to manifest a desire for religion. There she sat 
during the exercises, exerting all the force of her strong will to 
prevent any external manifestations of the emotions of her heart. 
The meeting closed for the evening, and she stopped for the night 
near by with a cousin, a pious young lady. About day-dawn next 
morning, a messenger came for the writer and the family with whom 
he stopped, to go over and pray for Maria, as she had not slept any 
all night, and was almost in despair. We went as soon as possible. 
When we entered the house, we found her sitting, and presenting 
as complete a picture of despair as could well be furnished. We 
spoke to her, and said, " Maria, do you not think Christ died for 
you?" " No, not for me," said she; " he died for others, but not for 
me." '• But he died for all — ' he tasted death for every man,' " said 
we. " But there is no mercy for me," said she, with a sigh. We 
asked, " Do you not desire to be saved through Christ ?" " Yes," 
was her quick and earnest reply. " Then, do you think he would 
produce in you that desire if he were not willing to satisfy it ?" 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 369 

" No," said she. "Then He is willing to save you!' we responded. 
After referring to a few of the promises, we had a season of 
prayer. She was encouraged to pray for herself, which she did with 
much fervor of spirit. We inquired of her, as we were kneeling, if 
she could not now trust herself to the Saviour. " I can," she said. 
" Then, do you not find light for your soul ?" we asked. "A little," 
she replied. " Praise Him for that !" we responded. It was but a 
moment more until she was on her feet, shouting, "Glory to God!" 
at the top of her voice, so wonderful was the change. In a few days 
after she united with the Methodist Episcopal Church, in which she 
continued a faithful and devoted member until she was removed to 
the Church above, which was clone by leading her through a linger- 
ing consumption. She was a very useful Christian. Her sufferings 
were endured with Christian fortitude and triumph, and her departure 
was in a halo of glory. 

Mark the difference in these two cases. The latter did not stop 
to cavil at what might not be exactly as she might express it, but 
united with the Church and devoted her heart and life to the promo- 
tion of piety, lived happy, and died triumphantly, having done much 
good. The former began to cavil and object, then to condemn, and 
refused to join the Church, lost the power of the spirit, and failed to 
retain his own piety, and did not promote it in others. 

During the months of January and February, 1839, there was 
an extensive revival in the town of Concord, in this county, Many 
of the young people were converted tc God. There was a young 
man — Charles Brown — who had made a profession of religion before 
coming to Michigan, but had foolishly and wickedly forsaken God, 
and had given himself up to the pursuit of vain pleasures. Many 
of his young associates were converted to God, who exhorted and 
entreated him to return to the Lord at once. His usual reply to all 
their kind entreaties was, " I mean to be religious before I die, but 
not now. I must attend the dancing parties of this winter first, and 
after that I mean to be religious." So the winter passed, and 
Charles remained away from the Saviour. Some time in the spring 
his mother, a pious woman, entered into conversation with him on 
the subject of his salvation, with much sympathy and earnestness. In 
the warmth and earnestness of her maternal and Christian feelings, 
she said, u Charles, my son, seek the Lord and become religious 
now." " Mother," said he, " I mean to become religious ; I do not 
mean to die without religion, but I cannot attend to it now ; I am 
nearly done sowing my wild oats, and then I will attend to religion." 

A few days after this conversation, he attended the raising of a 



370 HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

mill, and as he was passing around giving some directions, one of 
the bents fell and struck him on the head, while the profane oath was 
but half uttered upon his lips ; in a moment he was senseless. He 
lingered a few hours, and expired without hope in Christ. Here is 
an admonition to all who know their duty and postpone attention 
to it. 

We take the following from the Ladies Repository for January, 
1 841, which has this foot note: "Obituaries will seldom be admit- 
ted into the Repository, but the following notice is peculiarly interest- 
ing, and will be read with great profit by those who admire the 
manifestations of Divine grace." 

THE CHRISTIAN IN DEATH. 

Caroline Matilda, late consort of Rev. Elijah H. Pilcher, of 
the Michigan Conference, was the daughter of Doctor Benjamin H. 
Packard, and was born in Middleport, Niagara County, New York, 
November 21, 18 18. She was instructed in the principles of the 
Christian religion — her parents having been members of the Meth- 
odist Episcopal Church for some years before her birth. Caroline 
evinced a great aptitude to learn, and an ardent desire for knowl- 
edge. In the summer of 1828 her parents emigrated to Michigan, 
and settled in Ann Arbor. Here she had the advantages of schools 
and society, both of which were diligently improved. Indeed, it was 
her ardent attention to study that laid the foundation for many of her 
subsequent afflictions. Her parents moved to Spring Arbor, Jack- 
son County, in February, 1835, [where she died.] 

Caroline embraced religion in the thirteenth year of her age, 
through pastoral labors bestowed on her the day previous to that 
event. Her repentance was thorough, and her evidence of pardon 
clear. The following is her own account of this great work: 

"It was Monday, July 18, 1831, when, for the first time, the light 
of God shone into my benighted mind. O, what joy then filled my 
heart! All was happiness within, and I felt truly like a new creature. 
The consideration that God was reconciled almost overwhelmed my 
soul. Strange, indeed, did it seem to me, that God should ever ob- 
serve one so unworthy. I felt, indeed, that I had been ungrateful to 
Him for the Holy Spirit, which had been so often sent to convince 
me of my sins — the remembrance of which was grievous to me. 
Thea I humbly repented before God — I believed that there was effi- 
cacy in the blood of Christ to take my sins away." 

On the 15th of August, the same year, she joined the Methodist 
Episcopal Church, of which she continued a worthy member until 
taken to the Church above. Her piety was uniform, and her attach- 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 37 I 

ment to the Church ardent. She was naturally distrustful of herself. 
In religion she usually spoke with a good degree of confidence, yet 
hesitated to express all her feelings, lest it should appear beyond the 
truth. 

Her communion with God was deep and clear, as will appear by 
the following extracts from a diary she kept for a few years : 

"February 25, 1834. — I feel that I am in the hands of God. I 
am toiling to be directed by Him, for He will do all things for my 
good. It fills my soul with joy when I think that, after I have passed 
the sorrows of life, I shall see 'those who have come up through great 
tribulation, and have washed their robes and made them white 
through the blood of the Lamb.' 

" May 24. — I look forward with a pleasing hope that one day I 
shall gaze on the beatific beauties of my King, and swell the notes 
of the heavenly choir. Yes, on the other side of Jordan, with the 
saints of God, I hope to cast my crown at the feet of my Saviour, and 
cry, ' Holy, holy is the Lord of hosts ! ' O, how pleasing is the hope 
of the Christian ! He knows that this world is not his abiding home, 
but he seeks a city out of sight. He is only a sojourner here, hasten- 
ing to a land where everlasting spring abides. 

* No chilling winds nor pois'nous breath 

Can reach that healthful shore ; 
Sickness and sorrow, pain and death, 

Are felt and fear'd no more.'" 

Her desire for holiness is sometimes very strongly expressed. 
On May 25, 1834, she writes, "I do realize my un worthiness this day 
in the sight of God, but I do trust that he is fashioning me after His 
own likeness, and humbling me at the foot of the cross. O, that I 
might there remain, until the all-cleansing blood of the Saviour shall 
be applied to my heart, and wash away all my sins.' 

' 'Tis all my hope and all my plea, 
For me the Saviour died.' 

O, for a dedication of my soul and body to the service of God." 

In view of a change in her relation in life, she expresses a strong 
sense of the responsibilities of a minister's wife ; but in this, as in other 
cases, she states that her help is in God, and that if she can but be 
the means of saving souls, she is willing to sacrifice all. She feels 
that God will always be with her ; and though she may leave the so- 
ciety of friends, He will be her support. In view of this, under date 
of July 19, 1834, she writes as follows : " I must expect to be separ- 
ated from the friends I love. Yes, we meet and part here below, but 



372 HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

will soon reach heaven. Glory to God, there is a resting place! God 
will take care of me. I wish to feel a cheerful resignation to His will 
in all the dispensations of His providence, and then I shall be happy. 
I do rejoice in God." 

These extracts are the more valuable as they express her pri- 
vate feelings — not being designed for the eye even of her intimate 
friends, and, indeed, were not seen until after her death. 

She was married to Rev. Elijah H. Pilcher, of the Ohio Con- 
ference, June 4th, 1835. ft w iM be remembered that the Ohio Con- 
ference included the State of Michigan, until the General Conference 
of 1836, when the Michigan Conference was created. 

For the last three years of her life she enjoyed much of the 
fullness of love divine. Having been brought just to the borders 
of the grave several times, she always had strong confidence in God. 

On the 25th of August, 1839, she obtained a clear witness of 
perfect love — at which time her prospect of health had been fairer 
than it had been for a long time previous. But how soon are our 
prospects blasted ! 

On the 5 th day of September following, while her husband was 
absent at Conference, she was brought down to her bed with dis- 
ease, from which she never recovered, but continued to suffer until 
the 5th of April, being just seven months. 

She had a complication of diseases, but suffered with singular 
patience. Her father remarked that, though he had practised medi- 
cine more than twenty-five years, he had not met with a case of such 
-continued severe suffering, and that he had never witnessed such 
patience. During her protracted sickness, she was never heard to 
utter the least complaint against the dispensation of Providence. 

When her friends remarked, as they frequently did, that her 
sufferings were great, her usual reply was that she had great sup- 
port, sometimes adding that she would willingly suffer more if it 
would be for the glory of God. At all times, she spoke of death as 
calmly as on any other subject. She was anxious to be useful, and 
to have her husband so; hence, she was unwilling that he should 
stay from any of his appointments on her account, although the 
prospect often was that she would not live until his return. On one 
of these occasions, while he was absent, she called for a small Bible, 
which had been presented to her by her husband, and, with a pencil, 
wrote on a blank leaf, as follows: 

" February, 1840. — O heavenly treasure, guide of my youth, my 
solace in the hour of affliction, and blessed beacon, which points my 
soul to a land where I shall flourish in immortal youth ! I return 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 373 

thee to the dear one who has been the partner of my joys and sor- 
rows, but who will shortly be left to feel that his little boy is mother- 
less, and he himself is bereft of the companion of his early days. 
Then, O then, my dear Elijah, open this book, and read, for your 
consolation, of that glorious morn, when the trumpet shall sound, and 
we shall be raised incorruptible, to suffer no more. Caroline." 

This was about six weeks before her death. Her conversations 
in reference to her future prospects were interesting. Some of them, 
noted down by her friends, are as follows : 

February 24th. — (To her husband.) — " This is a scene of con- 
flict, but I feel that the Almighty arm on which I lean will carry me 
safely through." 

February 26th. — (To the same.) — "When I pass through the 
waters, they shall not overflow me. Deep — deep ! The waters below 
appear deep and dark, but the sky above is clear and glorious, and I 
shall rise above all. Sometimes I fancy I have been a long sea- 
voyage all alone, tossed and driven by the wind and waves ; some- 
times almost at the port, then driven away again upon the ocean. 
Thus I have struggled with wind and tide, but now I feel as if I was 
near the port, and every wave carries me nearer.' 

March 25. — She asked her mother to get her hymn-book, and 
read to her the hymn on the 487th page, which begins, 

" Why should we start and fear to die?" 

When she came to the last stanza, which is, 

" Jesus can make a dying bed 

Feel soft as downy pillows are, 
While on hia breast I lean my head, 

And breathe my life out sweetly there," 

she put her finger on it, and remarked that she realized it all, then 
took the book, marked the place, and presented it to her mother as 
a token of her love. About the same time, addressing her father, 
she said, " God only takes from you what he lent. You have been 
a kind father, but I ask one favor. When I have done breathing, I 
wish you would see that this wreck be deposited where some of the 
family will lie ; have no pomp, but mark the spot with a tree, vine or 
shrub — I was always fond of something green — that my little son 
may be pointed to the spot." Her son, named yason Henry, was 
then fourteen months old, and was her only child. 

April 3. — After many other things, she said : I would willingly 
suffer on my three score years and ten if it would be for the glory of 
God. I am just ready and waiting. Hallelujah! hallelujah! hai> 



374 HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

lelujah ! I never expected such a halo of glory. What unfading 
glory awaits for me ! Oh, that ineffable glory! it almost bursts this 
tenement of clay. My heart is so full ! My head rings every 
moment with hallelujah ! No wonder so many have shouted glory 
when leaving this world. I feel I have no longer to feel suffering, 
but to praise and dwell in His presence forever. Ok, glory/ Never 
was language formed full enough to tell what I feel. Where shall 
I find words to express it ? I expect to walk the golden streets 
above, and to eat of the Tree of Life. My palsied tongue almost 
fails me to speak of that which my heart can hardly contain." 

During the day of Saturday, the 4th, she said but little, yet was 
occasionally heard — amidst the greatest pain — to say, " Hallelujah!" 

These are but a few of the expressions of joy which she uttered 
'during her protracted sufferings. No one who has not been present, 
near the closing hour of a Christian's life, can form any idea of such a 
scene. Her death was triumphant, as will appear from what follows: 
About 3 o'clock a. m., when she felt her life was fast ebbing, she 
said she was going, and requested her friends to be called into her 
room. As they entered, she said, "It is all raptures untold." At 
sunrise her door was opened — there was bright sunshine. Being 
told that it was Sabbath morning, she exclaimed, " It is the sweetest 
Sabbath morning I ever saw." Awhile after, all being still, she 
asked why they were so. On being told that they did not wish to 
disturb her, she said, "I want to be shouting. Oh ! if I had strength, 
I would shout !" When mention was made, again, of the Sabbath, 
she added, 

" Sweet Sabbath of eternal rest, 
No mortal care shall seize my breast." 

In this frame of mind she remained until the spirit returned to 
God who gave it. She expired on Sabbath, April 5th, 1840, at one 
o'clock p. m., in the twenty-second year of her age. E. 

But we must not go into all the details of each town and the 
incidents connected therewith. This county has been very fruitful 
in revivals. There are now twelve Circuits and Stations, including 
1,939 members, and an aggregate of Church property valued at 
$164,600, according to the Minutes for 1876. 

Jackson appears in the Minutes of the Conference as a distinct 
appointment first in 1839, and in 1843 it was made a Station. Prior 
to this time it was included in a Circuit with two preachers, though 
for several years, it had been so arranged that one of them preached 
in Jackson every Sabbath. The importance of the place and the 
value ot concentrated labor seems not to have been properly appre- 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 7f7S 

dated, until others had very nearly crowded the Methodists out. 
When they did finally wake up to the fact, alas! it was only to toil and 
struggle with great difficulties, for when Mr. Pilcher was appointed 
to the Station in, 1846, the membership had been reduced to only 
fifty nominally, and to many less really, and they had bought a lit- 
tle house, about 20 by 30 feet only, which had belonged to the Pres- 
byterians. The prospect was very discouraging. But there were a 
few men who were personally acquainted with Mr. Pilcher, and who 
had asked for him to be stationed there, to which he consented. 
During his term of two years the Society was increased to 116 and 
the erection of a Church was commenced. 

The first Methodist Church here was commenced in 1848, and 
finished and dedicated in 1850, by Bishop Hamline, after great labor 
and exertion, for, at the time, the Society was very feeble, having but 
few persons of any pecuniary ability connected with it. The exer- 
tion succeeded, however, and they had a very respectable Church. 
It was dedicated with a crushing debt on it, which was extinguished by 
the indefatigable labors of Rev, S Clements. This Church has 
been superseded by one of the most beautiful churches in the State. 
They also erected a very nice parsonage on lots which were set 
apart for the Church by the original proprietor of this part of the 
town, when it was first platted. " And thereby hangs a tale." These 
lots once nearly slipped from the hands of the Society. When it 
was determined, to build a church on another lot, a Mr. Foot set up 
a claim to these lots ; on what grounds it is not necessary now to 
explain, only that by building elsewhere they had forfeited their right 
to them. The Church had had possession of them for some time; 
and now gave directions to the stationed minister to exercise acts of 
ownership over them, to show that they had not abandoned them. 
This he did. But Mr. F. being intent on getting the possession of 
them, employed a man to fence them in. The minister had forbidden 
the workmen going on, and various delays had occurred in the ac- 
complishment of this end. Some weeks had passed without anything- 
being done, or the minister giving any particular attention to it. One 
Sabbath, as he came out of the house, occupied as a church, he hap- 
pened to cast his eye in that direction, and observed there was a 
fence about two-thirds of the way around the lots. He said to him- 
self, not to any one else, not even to his wife: " My ax will find 
employment in the morning." He concluded a little "muscular 
Christianity" might be of service just now. On Monday morning, 
immediately after breakfast, he took his ax, went to this fence, 
knocked off the boards as carefully as he could, and laid them- 



3J 6 HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

out into the street ; then he cut down a part of the posts and 
laid them away. The ground was frozen so that he could not take 
them up. While he was doing this work, which he was not willing 
to trust to anyone else, the gentleman who had been employed to 
build the fence came near enough to recognize who it was that was 
engaged in this work of demolition, and then went away without say- 
ing a word. The next morning the constable waited on the minister 
with a warrant in an action of trespass. When the return day came, 
the minister, who was himself an attorney, was obliged to be absent, 
but appeared by attorney, pleaded the general issue, and obtained an 
adjournment for three months. In the meantime he continued to 
improve the lots, and to clear them of all property belonging to Mr. 
F. Some two days before the day to which the hearing stood ad- 
journed, he got a man to plow a part of it, as the most ostensible 
improvement that could be made, excepting to build a house. While 
this plowing was going on, as he was walking the street in full view 
of the lots, Mr. Foot met him, and, laughing, reached out his hand 
to shake hands, saying as he did so, " Mr. Pilcher, you got up too 
soon for me this time. I will withdraw that suit." " Very well," said 
Mr. P., " that is what I intended to do, and you may do as you please 
about the suit; I shall beat you if you go on with it." Ever after this 
when they met, Mr. Foot was sure to laugh, doubtless thinking of that 
action for trespass. Thus by this bold maneuver were these valuable 
lots saved to the Church, for there was so much shadow on the title 
that if the other claimant had gotten the possession the Church 
would never have recovered them. They finally gave two hundred 
dollars to quiet the title. The lots were eight rods square, and on a 
corner. They sold the corner lot for a good price and built a par- 
sonage on the other — the most complete house in all its fixtures 
then to be found in the State as a parsonage. This parsonage was 
finally sold, and its avails applied on the new church. 

We here present the statistics of the Churches, having before 
given the date of their organizations : 

Methodist Episcopal 480 Baptist 478 

Congregational 464 Protestant Episcopal.. S12 

Battle Creek — Wa-po-kis-ka — is situated at the confluence of 

the Kalamazoo and the Battle Creek rivers, in Calhoun County, about 

fourteen miles west from Marshall. The Battle Creek is so much 

lower than the Kalamazoo, or rather there is so much fall in the 

Kalamazoo at this point, that the latter is turned into the former, by 

a race about a mile in length passing through the city, so as to afford 

an immense amount of water power. This water power is well 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 2)11 

utilized. It is a very active business place, and is a formidable rival 
to Marshall. Operations were not begun here as soon as at Marshall, 
but they have been prosecuted with more vigor. 

Nothing of any importance was done here earlier than 1836. 
Hon. Sands McCamley was one of the earliest settlers. The Merritts 
and Harts, of the Society of Friends, or Quakers, were very early 
settlers and active men. They quickly looked after the educational 
interests, and have always maintained a school of high order. 

What gave rise to the name of the Creek is all left to conjecture. 
We have taken some pains to ascertain from the Indians the origin 
of it, but they, at least those last residing in the county, had no 
tradition on the subject. Imagination may supply this lack of infor- 
mation. We can well conceive of the meeting of hostile tribes or 
bands at this locality, far back even in the youth of the peninsula, 
when foe stood to foe, hand to hand in bloody conflict, in a long and 
desperate struggle for the mastery ; the waters are made red with the 
mingling of the crimson life-tide — many noble braves float on its 
surface — the forests along its banks were made to resound with the 
fearful war-whoop, and finally with the triumphant, savage shout of 
victory, by the conquerers. After such a conflict, and such destruc- 
tion, they might well exclaim " Wa-po-kis-ka" or " Battle Creek." 
Some thing of this kind was, probably, the origin of the name of the 
Creek, from which the city has taken its name. But now we 
may very appropriately adopt the beautiful lines of Mrs. Hemans 
and say : 

" Come to the land of peace, 
Come where the tempest halh no loDger sway, 
The shadow passes from the soul away — 

The sounds of weeping cease. 

" Fear hath no dwelling there, 
Come to the mingling of repose and love, 
Breathed by the silent spirit of the dove, 

Through the celestial air." 

Although there are a good many of the followers of William 
Penn, both orthodox and Hicksite, residing here and hereabouts, 
and though the inhabitants are generally very moral and orderly, 
and though the panting, trembling fugitive from slavery always 
found here a safe retreat, an asylum from his tormenters, the pug- 
nacious spirit was not always wanting, and some instances of vio- 
lence and bloodshed have occurred. 

The City of Battle Creek, for it was incorporated a City in 
1859, according to the census of 1874, contained a population of 



37$ HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

5,323, which is a little less than that of 1870. It has the advantage 
of two railroads. 

As soon as there were a few scattered settlers in this vicinity, 
the ministers of Christ sought them out, ministered to them the 
Word of Life, and joined in Church fellowship such as desired to be 
recognized as Church members. The Methodist Church, which was 
the first organized, was formed, in 1835, by ^ ev - James F. Davidson, 
The names of the original members we have not been able to ascer- 
tain ; but, in 1836, the members were as follows, viz : Festus Hall, 
Thomas Hickman, Sally Jane Hickman, Isaac Hickman, Maria Hick- 
man, Daniel Clark, Clarinda Clark, Roger Francis, Norman Rugg, 
Julia Rugg, Asa Phelps, Ada Gregory, David Howell, Jtdia Howell, 
Delight Clark, and Altha Spink. This was a small beginning, but 
God does not despise the day of small things, neither should we. 
This number has been increased, from time to time, till, according 
to the Minutes of Battle Creek Station for 1876, they numbered 
164 members and probationers, and have Church property valued at 
$27,800. Battle Creek first appeared in the Minutes as a Circuit in 
1839. The Church has grown with the growth of the community, 
and has maintained its work in all departments. 

Many precious seasons of revival have been enjoyed by this 
Church, and much good work has been accomplished for God's 
cause. One incident connected with one of these revival seasons is 
worthy to be recorded. There was residing here, at the time re- 
ferred to, an aged man, who had fought in the battles of his country 
for freedom, and, as was often the case with that class of men, he 
had contracted a fondness for intoxicating liquors. A part of his 
family had already made a profession of religion. This old gentle- 
man was awakened — finally he was converted, and lived a consistent 
Christian life. While he was laboring under the burden of an 
awakened conscience, one of his sons, who, by the way, was not a 
professor of religion, became very anxious for his conversion, and, 
though he could do nothing for him himself, he visited his brother, 
who was a class-leader, every day, to ascertain how his father was 
getting along, and, in the earnestness of his heart, he said, "James, 
do not give father up until he is converted — hold on to him." God 
heard the prayer, and the old man was converted and saved from 
drunkenness. 

As strange as it may seem, that son lived for several years 
without seeking religion for himself; but he, too, afterwards sought 
the Lord, found favor, and since has died in great triumph. The 



HISTOPY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 2)19 

Lord is good to them that seek His face — forgives and adopts them 
into His family. 

One of the ministers, who was appointed to this charge, took 
up the work of visiting every family in three towns, and distributing 
Bibles. He met with several interesting incidents, two of which are 
here given. Having called at a house a little out of the city, he found 
the family to consist of a young man and his wife, just commencing 
in the world. He asked him if he would like to buy a Bible. u A 
Bible?" said the young man, with apparent surprise, "I don't believe 
there is a Bible on this street. Indeed, a Bible would be as much out 
of place here as a pirate in a prayer-meeting." " Yes, there is a Bible 
at the next house back," said the colporteur, in the meantime taking 
out and showing his Bibles. " It can't be possible," said he ; " if they 
have one, they certainly don't read it." "There is a very neat Bible 
for only twenty-five cents," said the Bible man. He replied, "I can't 
read a Bible that does not cost more than that." Having learned, 
in this way, that he had no Bible, he urged him to buy, but he said 
he had no money. The colporteur offered to trust him, but he said 
he could not be trusted for a Bible. After a little further colloquy, 
the wife, in the meantime, having become interested in the matter, 
took a fancy to one of them, so she proposed to use a little money, 
which he had given her, for that purpose, if he did not object. He 
did not. The bargain was effected, and the Bible left with them. 

In order to get the full interest of the following incident, the 
reader must conceive himself as having been traveling through the 
woods, in which stands a small log cabin, on the side of a slope, 
and fronting up the hill ; that between the road and the house 
stands a hovel for cattle, nearly in front of the house, so that the 
drainage from the hovel flows directly towards the cabin, saluting 
the olfactories with its peculiar odor. Having made this external 
survey, let us enter. Everything is of a similar character, and we 
find an old lady, just from the Green Isle, saluting us with the pecu- 
liar brogue of her country; then follows the conversation : 

"Would you like to buy a Bible," said the man of the satchel. 
" A Bible !" said she, looking with surprise; "and what kind of a 
Bible is it ?" " Oh, it is a common Bible, such as is commonly read," 
said he. "And is it a Catholic Bible?" To this he replied, "It is 
such a Bible as Catholics sometimes read, and may read with safety." 
Not satisfied with this answer, with increased energy she demanded, 
"And is it a Protestant Bible?" "It is such as Protestants some- 
times read, and may read with safety," he replied. 

Becoming a little more erect, she exclaimed, with warmth, " In- 



38O HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

dade, and I jist thinker, that the Bible is a very bad book for ignor- 
ant people to read; they can't understand it." " Oh! yes, the Bible 
is a very good book, and easy to be understood, and will teach you 
the way to Heaven," said the minister. " Indade, and I jist think, 
sir, I larnt that a great while ago," she replied. "Oh! well, then, it 
will assist you in it, and it is a very good book, and easy to be 
understood," said the colporteur. To this she replied, with great 
energy, "There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one 
through Church, out of which nobody can be saved." " It is true," 
said he, " The Bible says ' there is one Lord, one faith, and one 
baptism,' and it is a very good book." "Why are there so many 
religions in the world, then, if the Bible is so easy to be under- 
stood?" she asked. "There are various reasons: people fix their 
notions without the Bible, and then go to the Bible to try to prove 
them; but the Bible is a very good book, and can be understood 
without difficulty in all that is necessary to our salvation." When 
he had said this, she raised herself to her full height, and, pointing 
her finger at him, exclaimed, with very great energy, and prolonging 
the words in capitals to a very great length: "Indade, and I jist 
think, sir, that neither Y-E, nor A-L-L the likes of ye, have got intel- 
lects enough to understand the Bible." " Oh, yes!" said the man of 
the Bible, " It is a plain, good book, and easy to be understood." 
To this she answered, in full warmth, "Oh! but there are so many 
of ye! There are the Methodists, there are the Swaddlers, and the 
Divil and all knows how many there are of ye!" 

This ended the conversation, excepting that he asked her if she 
would read a Bible if he would leave one, and received for an answer 
that she would not. but would put it in the fire and burn it up. This 
incident shows the true bigotry of Popery, and what would become 
of our Bibles if it had the power. 

We conclude what we have to say in regard to this city, by 
introducing a pen-portrait of one whose face ever appears pleasant, 
and whose manner carries a sweet aroma with it ; one who lives in 
the memory of many, although several years have elapsed since he 
was stationed in the city of Jackson. 

Rev. Henry F. Spencer was born in Leyden, Lewis County, New 
York, March 21st, 1834. He yielded to the claims of the religion 
of the Lord and Saviour, experienced renewing grace, and united 
with the Methodist Episcopal Church in Lowville,New York, in 1834, 
where he received his first license to exhort. He prepared for col- 
lege at Fairfield Academy, and entered the M. G. B. Institute at 
Concord, New Hampshire, in 1859, graduating in 1862. 




'rLJ^yi^&^Ti 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 383 

During the latter part of his senior year in the Biblical Institute, 
lie served as supply in the State Street Methodist Episcopal Church 
in Watertown, New York, and in the spring joined the Black River 
Conference. He was returned to the State Street Church, Water- 
town. In 1863, he was appointed to Clayton, New York, where 
he remained three years. In the spring of 1866, he was transferred 
to the Michigan Conference, and stationed at Lansing. He has filled 
the following appointments, viz : Lansing; Jackson; Division Street, 
Grand Rapids ; Kalamazoo ; — and is now in his third year in the last- 
named place, having remained the full term of three years at each 
field. 

Mr. Spencer is a preacher of much more than ordinary power, 
and a man of great industry. He has been successful in every place. 
The beautiful church at Jackson was erected during his pastorate, 
and a heavy debt has been removed from the church at Kalamazoo 
since he has been their pastor. The spiritual interests have been 
greatly promoted, and many converted and added to the Church 
under his ministration. 

The Churches of Battle Creek stand as follows, viz: 



Methodist Episcopal 364 

Presbyterian.. ,.... 220 



Baptists 306 

Protestant Episcopal 71 



Albion is near the east edge of Calhoun County, and is located 
at the junction of the two principal branches of the Kalamazoo 
River. These two streams furnish excellent and abundant water- 
power, which is well utilized. This is now a flourishing and inter- 
esting village. Mr. Tenny Peabody made the first purchase of land 
at this point. Marvin Hannah, Jesse Crowell, and W. Warner soon 
followed. The village was laid out, or platted, in 1837, by a company 
known as the "Albion Land Company," of which Messrs. Crowell 
and Warner were members, and the former the principal agent. 
This village is very near the center of the State, from east to west, 
on the line from Detroit to Lake Michigan. It is on the line of 
the Michigan Central Railroad, which is also crossed at this point 
by a railroad from Lansing to Jonesville. It possesses many natural 
advantages, such as a clear and beautiful stream, furnishing excel- 
lent hydraulic power ; it is in the midst of a healthy country, and 
one that is very productive of everything of interest that can be 
produced in this climate. 

The artificial advantages are by no means indifferent, such as the 
railroads, common schools, churches, and last, though not least, 
Albion College, under the fostering care of the Methodist Epis- 
copal Church in Michigan. This institution is the great object of 



3^4 HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

attraction to the visitor, as its relative position to the village is such 
as to give it a commanding appearance. There are three buildings, 
separated from each other by a few rods, standing on an eminence, 
at the eastern edge of the village and fronting to the west. The center 
building is forty by one hundred feet, four stories high, presenting a 
side front, and is surmounted by a small observatory, from which is 
presented a splendid view of a wide extent of beautiful, fertile 
country. At either end of this is another building, standing distant 
as before named, forty by eighty feet, three stories high, presenting 
the end to the west. These buildings are of brick, and stuccoed to 
resemble granite. They stand on an oblong square, sixteen by. twenty 
rods, having a lawn in front, twenty by thirty-eight rods, extending 
down the side of the eminence towards the village — a lawn which, 
when graded and arranged according to design, will present a most 
charming and lovely appearance, and furnish a most desirable retreat 
In the rear is a triangular lawn, extending eastward, having its base 
on the College square and its apex about thirty rods away. This 
lawn is now covered with a beautiful grove of native forest trees, 
and may be called " Quercan Lawn" as the trees are oak. 

The origin of Albion College is traceable back to 1833. In 
the spring of this year Rev. Henry Colclazer, Dr. B. H. Packard, then 
residing at Ann Arbor, and Rev. Elijah H. Pilcher, in consultation 
determined to make an effort to secure the establishment of an insti- 
tution of learning of a high order in this peninsula. Notice of that 
purpose was circulated through the country, and in the summer of 
1834 propositions were made by the inhabitants of several localities, 
offering as a bonus for its location large and liberal subscriptions in 
land and money. These propositions were presented to the Ohio 
Annual Conference which then had ecclesiastical jurisdiction over this 
country. A committee was appointed by that body to determine the 
location, and to apply to the Legislative branch of the Territory for 
an act of incorporation. The proposition coming from Spring 
Arbor, in the County of Jackson, was accepted and a charter obtained 
in March, 1835, fixing the location at an old Indian village in that 
town. As it proved, the location was not well selected. Various 
obstacles were thrown in the way of commencing operations by 
some who professed to be its friends, until its real friends became 
disheartened, and were ready to abandon the enterprise. In the 
meantime the village of Albion had sprung into life, at least so far 
as being laid out on paper could give it life, so that in 1838 a propo- 
sition was made, accompanied by a large subscription — large for the 
population — asking that the location might be changed to that place. 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 385 

All hope of succeeding at the former location having failed, this 
proposition was accepted by the Michigan Annual Conference, and 
accordingly a successful application was made to the Legislature in 
1839, for an amendment to the charter changing the location to 
Albion, and reconstructing the Board of Trustees. This new board 
was duly organized and prepared to fulfill the trust committed to 
them. In the autumn of 1839, Rev. Loring Grant, a superannuated 
preacher of the Genesee Conference, having removed to this place, 
was employed as agent by the Board of Trustees, to solicit subscrip- 
tions and raise funds to erect suitable buildings, in which work he 
served actively for some time. A system of scholarships was 
adopted at this time, which, though it was the means of raising funds 
so as to build the center building, came near ruining the institution 
afterwards. The system was to give a certificate of free tuition for 
the term of four years to every subscriber of one hundred dollars, 
the subscription payable in four equal annual payments; the said 
certificate was not available until the whole amount of the individual 
subscription was paid. The plan appeared very plausible and fair, 
but there was one very important item overlooked at the time, which 
was that if the funds raised were used up in building, there would 
be no means left to pay instructors, and the institution could not be 
carried on. 

This system was found afterwards to embarrass the institution 
very much, because so many students came on these certificates that 
the tuition received did not nearly meet the annual expenses of the 
teachers. This plan was thought, subsequently, to have been a great 
blunder; perhaps it was. It was an experiment; but this is to be 
considered as an extenuation of the guilt of those concerned in the 
project, that it appeared to them to be the only means of raising 
funds to build, and there appeared to them to be no alternative but 
to adopt this plan or have no institution. The plan was adopted, 
and, under it the first — the center building — was erected, and the 
school opened. 

Having raised funds so that it was thought safe to proceed, the 
corner stone of the center building was laid in June, 1841, with ap- 
propriate ceremonies. After the stone, containing various appro- 
priate articles sealed up in a copper box imbedded in the stone, was 
put in its place, by the trustees under the direction of the Master 
Mason, the Hon. Henry W. Taylor, then of Marshall, standing on 
the stone, delivered a very able and appropriate address. This 
stone was placed in the southwest corner of the building. The 
Marshall brass band discoursed soul stirring music for the entertain- 



386 HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

ment of the large concourse of people gathered for the occasion. 
This was considered a high day for Albion. 

The Seminary was made ready, and opened for the reception 
of students in November, 1843. Rev. Charles F. Stockwell was 
employed as the Principal, assisted by a full corps of teachers. The 
first exhibition, which was held in March, 1844, was a grand affair,. 
an exciting occasion. The decorations of the hall, the music, the 
speaking — everything seemed under the influence of enchantment. 
It might, possibly, have been regarded as an indifferent affair in an 
old country and a long-established institution, but it was, indeed, a 
" high day" for this country, which had but so recently been the 
home of savage beasts and wild Indians. 

A new system of scholarships was inaugurated in 1849, f° r tne 
purpose of raising a permanent endowment, and an enlargement of 
powers secured, making it a Female College in addition to the Sem- 
inary, and, again, in 1861, another amendment to the charter was 
obtained, giving it simply the name of "Albion College," Wesleyan 
Seminary and Female College being dropped out. 

The second, or north building, was completed in 1853, but, un- 
fortunately, it was consumed by lire within one year after its com- 
pletion and occupancy. It was rebuilt in about one year after. The 
third, or south building, was erected in 1857. 

This institution has had to struggle with much financial embar- 
rassment, and the friends of the enterprise have trembled, some- 
times, lest it should fail for want of financial support. Errors may 
have been committed in the management of its affairs, but this is no 
more than has occurred with every institution in the land, whether 
State or private. 

Notwithstanding these financial struggles, this institution has 
gone on steadily, blessing the land by sending out, annually, a large 
number of young ladies and gentlemen, well educated and well in- 
structed in moral principles, who have gone into every part of the 
State. Men of wealth could not do a nobler act, for the good of 
the State, than to appropriate a portion of that wealth to complete 
the endowment of this college — to place it beyond financial want or 
fluctuation. 

It will be specially interesting to the Christian to know that this 
institution has been blessed with many seasons of precious revival 
of religion, and many of the students have been happily converted 
to God and gone out to bless the Church. A good many young 
men who have been educated here have entered the ministry, and 
have done and are doing good work for the cause of Christ. 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 3S7 

Since the first organization of the Faculty, there have been eight 
Principals and Presidents, viz : Rev. Charles F. Stockwell, Rev. 
Clark T. Hinman, Hon. Ira Mayhew, Rev. Thomas H. Sinex, Rev. 
George B. Jocelyn, Rev. J. L. G. McKeown, Rev. Dr. William B. 
Silber, Rev. Dr. L. R. Fiske. The first of these men entered upon his 
duties at the opening of the institution in 1843, continued in charge 
for two years, when he resigned, and gave his attention to the study 
and practice of law. He has since died, and it is proper to insert a 
short memorial notice of him. 

Rev. Charles F. Stockwell was a graduate of the Wesleyan 
University at Middletown, Connecticut. He was a local preacher — 
never connected with the Conference. He was a man of good 
abilities, well developed, and capable of doing much good. He 
acquitted himself well as a teacher and Principal, and maintained the 
dignity of a Christian. He married a lady in Albion, and, after he 
left the Seminary, addressed himself to the study of law, and was 
admitted to the practice. When the tide of emigration set in so 
strongly for California, in 1850, he started for that far-famed land of 
gold, not from a desire for gold so much as from a desire to do good. 
He died on the ocean, before he reached that land, and was buried 
in the deep. A monument to his memory, with others, stands in the 
college grounds. 

Rev. Clark T. Hinman was elected to the charge of this insti- 
tution in September, 1846, and continued until he was elected Presi- 
dent of the Northwestern University at Evanston, Illinois, in 1853, 
having held his relation to the institution for seven years. It was 
during his time that the higher position of Female College was 
taken, and the new system of scholarships was adopted, which proved 
to be no more satisfactory than the former system. It is proper here 
to give a full sketch of his life and character, as he has gone to his 
long rest. We will make a liberal use of the memoir published in 
the Minutes of the Conference for 1855. 

Rev. Clark T. Hinman, D. D., died in Troy, New York, October 
2 1 st, 1854, aged thirty-five years. He was born in Courtland County, 
New York, August 3d, 1819, and was distinguished, in early life, 
for intelligence above his years. He was converted to God at ten 
years of age, and never after doubted his salvation from the power 
and guilt of sin, through faith in Jesus Christ. He prepared for 
college at Cazenovia Seminary, New York, and graduated at the 
Wesleyan University at Middletown, Connecticut, in 1839, at twenty 
years of age. He spent a portion of his college life under the 
Presidency of the lamented and sainted Dr. Wilbur Fisk. For seven 



388 HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

years he served as a teacher in the Newberry Seminary, Vermont, 
and, subsequently, as Principal, from which position, in 1846, he was 
called to the charge of the Wesleyan Seminary at Albion. He now 
devoted all his active energies to give elevation and stability to this 
institution. His ever-active mind was constantly on the alert for some 
means of increasing the importance of the school with which he felt 
himself so intimately connected. In 1853, he was elected President 
of the Northwestern University, an institution yet to be, and requiring 
active labor to bring it into real life. He saw there, as he thought, 
an opening to lay the foundation and rear up an institution of 
learning to accomplish immense good. Having accepted the ap- 
pointment there, he resigned his position here, and devoted all his 
mental and physical energies to this new work. On this noble and 
extensive enterprise, Dr. Hinman set his whole heart, and it is not 
at all unlikely that his consuming zeal, ceaseless and untiring labors 
in its behalf, by inducing a jaded and over-worked condition of con- 
stitution, though naturally healthy, and even vigorous, may have 
hastened his lamented death. Even while laboring under the dis- 
ease — the choleric dysentery — which terminated his existence, despite 
the remonstrances of friends, he was found pleading the cause of 
his favorite interest, and refused to stop while his engagements re- 
mained unfulfilled, until to proceed farther became, literally, a physi- 
cal impossibility. Returning East, where he was to meet his family, 
he found himself, or, rather, was found at an inn in Troy, by Rev. H. 
W. Ransom, who took him to his own house, where, despite all that 
kindness and skill could do for him, in a few days he was before the 
Throne. 

He received license to preach in 1838, the year before he 
closed his college course, and was admitted into the traveling con- 
nection, by the Vermont Conference, shortly after he entered upon 
the administration of the Newberry Seminary. In 1846, he was trans- 
ferred to the Michigan Conference, with which he remained connected 
until his death. He received the honorary degree of D. D. from the 
Ohio Wesleyan University in 185 1. Sadness was wide-spread through 
his country when it was announced that he was dead. 

That he possessed talents of a high and commanding order, the 
high positions he was called to occupy abundantly testify. His great 
success in those positions presents him as a rare example of having 
diligently improved the talents committed to his trust. In no position 
was he placed in which he did not more than equal the hopes of his 
friends, and disappoint the wishes of his opponents. He was a ripe 
scholar, and emphatically " apt to teach." His sermons were always 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 389 

earnest and instructive, and often eloquent. He was truly a Christian 
gentleman. His presence brought light into every circle, and he 
could adorn any society. Envy of the position and reputation of 
another never seemed to have any place in his mind. 

"Doctor Hinman lived the life of the righteous, and his end was 
peace. Though the last hours of his life were ' dark on this side,' as 
reason had failed him, yet were there scintillations through the dark- 
ness that showed how bright they were on the other side. When 
evidently deaf and unconscious to the interrogations of surviving 
friends and dear ones, amid his murmurings, ejaculative utterances 
were often heard, ' face to face,' 'all glorious! ' But in the early part 
of his short but fatal illness, in anticipation of its probable termina- 
tion, he said, ' I should love to live for my little family, and to do a 
little more good, but the Lord's will be done, for me to die is gain/ 
Yes, doubtless, death has been to our dear brother gain ; but no one 
who knew him, or who reads this brief notice of him, can fail to feel 
that the Church had sustained such a loss as she but rarely suffers in 
the death of a single son— a son whose life was short in years, but 
long in noble deeds." 

His light was brilliant, and burned with an intensity that soon 
consumed itself. Whoever visits the grounds of Albion College will 
be attracted at once by a beautiful monument, on three sides of 
which are the following inscriptions — on the south side: "In 
memory of Rev. Charles F. Stockwell, First Principal of the Wes- 
leyan Seminary at Albion. Died, June 30th, 1850, JE. 33. * And 
the sea shall give up her dead.' — Rev." On the west side: "In 
memory of Rev. Clark T. Hinman, D. D., First President of the 
Wesleyan Seminary and Albion Female Collegiate Institute. Died, 
October 21st, 1854, JE. 35. ' Behold the Lord doth take away from 
Jerusalem the eloquent orator.' — Isaiah." On the north side: "In 
memory of Rev. Judson D. Collins, A. M., First Missionary of the 
Methodist Episcopal Church to the Empire of China. Died, May 
25th, 1852. ' Go ye into the world and preach the Gospel to every 
cr eatu re. ' — Christ. ' ' 

The blank side of this monument will doubtless be filled with 
the name of Rev. George B. Jocelyn, who was the fifth elected 
President. After several years he resigned, but after an intermission 
of about three years, was re-elected, and was in service when he died, 
February 27th, 1877. 

To say that this institution is a model of perfection would be 
saying too much, but to say that it has wielded, and is destined to 
wield, a powerful moulding influence on the educational develop- 



390 HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

ment of the Peninsular State, would only be to say what is already 
felt and acknowledged to be true ; more even than this may be said 
— if this institution were now to be blotted out of existence 
its power would be felt for years to come ; the thousands of students 
— for thousands have been in attendance at different times— who have 
received educational training within its walls, will make their impress 
on society for years to come. In this view, it must be a source of 
great pleasure to those who have toiled and contributed of their 
money for its establishment, to review the past and to contemplate 
the future of this institution. It is much to be regretted that this 
College has not yet been fully endowed, so as to be above all embar- 
rassment. May we not say it will live for many long years as a 
memorial to the praise of the men who projected the scheme, and 
of the enterprise and zeal of the denomination of Christians, through 
whose energy and perseverance it has been erected and maintained? 
Their sons and daughters will rise up to call them blessed. 

In December, 1870, at a Methodist Convention held at the 
College, the question of a more complete and permanent endow- 
ment was discussed. At this time David Preston, Esq., of 
Detroit, proposed that if a certain specified number of men 
would subscribe the sum of $50,000 within two years, he would 
pledge himself to raise $60,000 more from the people. This money 
was to go into the hands of a committee outside of the Board of 
Trustees, to be funded, and the interest only to be applied for the 
support of the faculty. Both parts of the proposition have been met 
within the specified time. Mr. Preston devoted almost his entire 
time to this work for one year, and attained the end just a few weeks 
before the expiration of the specified limit. It would seem to have 
been very providential that the time for raising this money was 
limited as it was. 

The fifty thousand dollars having been subscribed according to 
the terms of the proposition, Mr. Preston addressed himself to the 
fulfillment of his part of the engagement. He issued a circular, to 
be sent to all the Methodist ministers in the State, dated September 
4th, 1872, in which he detailed the circumstances which gave rise to 
the proposition, and then adds : 

"While this resolution was being discussed, one of the ministers, 
of the Detroit Conference said if we took fifty of our best men to 
raise the $50,000 from, it would be impossible to raise $50,000 more 
from the people. He contended that the $50,000 should be raised 
from twenty-five or a less number of persons. Up to that moment I 
had never thought of making the proposition I did make. I then 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 393 

arose and said: 'You may have ten, you may have twenty, you may 
have fifty persons to raise $50,000 from, and I will stand with the 
people, and not only raise $50,000, but will raise $60,000 from them/ 
I had faith in the people then, I have faith in the people now. If I 
cannot, with the aid of 400 ministers, with the aid of the press, and 
with the aid of the quickening influence of the Holy Spirit, inspire 
confidence enough, and interest and enthusiasm enough in the hearts 
and heads of 48,000 or 50,000 men, women and children who have 
been washed and redeemed by the blood of Christ, to raise from them 
the average of one dollar each for sustaining and enlarging the influ- 
ence of a Methodist College in Michigan, then, and not till then, will 
my confidence in the ability and willingness of the Methodist 
people of Michigan to give liberally and to give cheerfully, be 
abated. 

" More than twenty months have elapsed since I made this 
pledge. I have not forgotten it. It has been in my mind and in my 
heart every day since. I don't want to forget it. I don't expect to 
forget it, or to evade it. If God spares my life until the first day of 
September, 1873, I expect to see it fulfilled, I do." On October 
8th, he issued a second circular. In these two he detailed his plan, 
and asked the co-operation of all the ministers. But he found it 
necessary to devote the most of his time to it, and to take the field 
and visit most of the important towns and cities in the State. 
Wherever he went he inspired the people with a part of his confi- 
dence and enthusiasm, and in that way large sums were raised. He 
had the sympathy and co-operation of most of the ministers, but still 
his presence and enthusiasm were necessary to call forth the money. 
He succeeded so that at the time limited it was done. It was 
accomplished in the right time — just before the terrible financial crash, 
of 1873 came. Had it been delayed another year, it could not have 
been effected. By this $110,000, in addition to what endowment they 
before had, the College is put on a living basis, and yet it is not the 
amount it ought to be, nor is it the sum that the Methodists of 
Michigan are able to give to it. 

Mr. Preston's success in this enterprise illustrates what a man 
of faith in God and faith in the people and prayer may do. Both of 
these elements are essential to success where the people are 
concerned. 

Mr. Preston deserves the warmest gratitude of the Protestant 
public for his zeal and success in the accomplishment of this grand 
work. This was an addition to a partial endowment, which had be- 



394 HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

fore been made, but yet further endowment is all important to put 
the institution in the financial position it ought to occupy. 

In connection with this endowment fund, we must present a 
brief notice of the life of the author of it. He is a layman, residing 
in Detroit, and his name has become a synonym for benevolence. 
Though unpretending in appearance, he has exerted an extensive 
influence in the benevolent operations of the Church in this State. 
He is the son of a Methodist preacher, and became a Christian in 
early life. 

David Preston arrived in Detroit on November 4th, 1848. 
He was converted, and united with the Methodists in the old church 
on the corner of Woodward Avenue and Congress Street, in De- 
cember, 1848, under the pastorate of Rev. Samuel D. Simonds, now 
of California. He commenced business for himself in May, 1852, 
by opening a banking-office on a small scale. He confined himself to 
a legitimate exchange and banking business, and prospered greatly. 
It is a pleasing fact that, though Mr. Preston's business has become 
very extensive, he is almost invariably found at the prayer and class 
meetings, and is a teacher in the Sunday School. He has also 
served as Superintendent. In the beginning of his business life, he 
adopted the principle of contributing liberally for the support of the 
Church and Christian charity generally. He is a successful hand at 
raising money for Church purposes, partly because he is known to 
give liberally himself, and his success in raising the sixty thousand 
dollars, as above, has made the name of David Preston a household 
word in many families. He was very active and liberal in the 
erection of the Central Church, and after that work was completed, 
he took hold of the enterprise of building the Simpson Church, in 
Detroit. He has a heart in the work of the Lord, and delights to 
see that work prosper. 

We have, incidentally, stated that President Jocelyn had been 
called to his reward, and we shall, hereafter, insert a memorial notice 
of his life and death. It was to be expected that the vacancy would 
be filled. We take pleasure in inserting a brief sketch of Dr. 
Jocelyn's successor — Rev. Lewis R. Fiske, D. D. 

At a Camp Meeting on the Coldwater Circuit, held near Union 
City, in June, 1842, a young lad, of an excellent and religious family, 
was converted to God, and joined the Methodist Episcopal Church. 
His conversion seemed to create in him a strong desire for a thor- 
ough education, and to inspire him with a higher ambition for noble 
work. Very soon after this, he began to make preparations for 
entering the University of Michigan, and graduated in the class of 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN 395 

1850. When he had graduated, he thought to stifle the convictions 
he had had of a duty to preach the Gospel, and commenced the 
study of law; but he was elected Professor of Natural Sciences in 
the Wesleyan Seminary at Albion, where he had been a student in 
his preparatory course, which he accepted, and which dispelled all 
ideas of the law, for his convictions of duty to preach were revived.. 
After remaining at Albion for some time, he was elected to a chair 
in the State Normal School at Ypsilanti. While in this latter insti- 
tution, he received license to preach, and was admitted into the 
Annual Conference on trial. From this place he was transferred to 
the State Agricultural College. In this institution he not only sus- 
tained the reputation he had acquired as an educator, but increased 
it. Here he remained for several years, and was, for some time, the 
acting President, but he resigned his connection with the college,., 
and entered into the pastoral work. In 1863, he was stationed in 
Jackson, as his first charge. He remained three years and was then 
appointed to the Central Church, Detroit. He fulfilled his relation 
here for three years, to the great satisfaction of the people. From 
this Church he was transferred to Ann Arbor, remained here, also, 
the full term of three years, and then was appointed to Ann Arbor 
District. At the end of his first year on the District, the Central 
Church at Detroit being vacant, his return to that was asked for, 
and he was, accordingly, appointed to it for a second time. At 
the close of his term here, he was asked for, and stationed at Taber- 
nacle Church, Detroit. He continued here but one year; for, in 
June, 1877, there being a vacancy in the Presidency of Albion Col- 
lege, he was unanimously elected to that position, which he accepted. 
In the meantime, the degree of Doctor of Divinity had been con- 
ferred upon him. He was honored by his brethren by being 
elected as a delegate to the General Conference of 1872, and 
also of 1876. Such is a brief running sketch of the life and labors 
of Rev. L. R. Fiske, D. D. He has been, and still is, a man of 
studious habits, having a pleasant manner, of fine mind, and is every 
way worthy of the honors placed upon him, and the confidence 
reposed in him. He is emphatically a Michigan man, having come 
here when but a small boy. 

Some one probably has been asking what connection this sketch 
thus far has with the history of Protestantism in this place. The 
answer is found in this, that the foundation of Albion College was a 
scheme projected and carried into effect by the Methodist Episcopal 
Church — it is a Methodist institution — denominational, but not 
sectarian — religious, without bigotry — a Protestant College. 



39^ HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

There is nothing- peculiar in the introduction and progress of 
Protestantism in this place. As soon as there was a sufficient num- 
ber of people to constitute anything of a congregation, they were 
supplied with the ministry of the Word. Rev. Henry Ercanbrack, a 
superannuated member of the Oneida Conference, was the first 
minister who took up an appointment here. He had settled down 
in the neighborhood with the intention of remaining, but after a year 
or two he returned east. Rev. John Kinnear, who was traveling the 
Spring Arbor Circuit, was the first to make this a regular appoint- 
ment for preaching, and organized a Methodist Society or Church in 
the fall of 1836, consisting of Almon Herrick, Lorenzo Herrick, 
Thomas W. Pray, Polly Pray, Betsy Montcalm, Noah Phelps, and 
Mary Ercanbrack. These seven constituted the first Christian Church 
organized at Albion. Mr. Herrick was appointed the class-leader. 
The first addition to this number was that of Charles Cobb and Armeda 
Cobb. This was a small beginning, but they were to increase. 

Rev. Mr. Taylor, a Baptist minister, settled on a farm near the 
town, and organized a Baptist Church at an early day in its history. 
This Church did not prosper as much as some of the others, although 
the beginning was as promising as with any. They now have a good 
Church, and are doing well, with a membership of 160. 

The Presbyterian Church was constituted shortly after these 
two, and was the first to erect a commodious house of worship. 
They have advanced, and hold a very good position in the commu- 
nity, and own a fine church which, singularly enough, stands on the 
ground on which the Methodists built their first chapel, they having 
changed location when they came to build a good church. 

The Protestant Episcopal Church was a little more tardy in its 
beginning, although a Church was constituted at an early day. They 
were organized in 1840, and now have a house of worship, and a 
membership of 66. 

The Methodist ministers supplied this appointment with preach- 
ing as often as they could consistently with their other labors and the 
right of other denominations, for they all had to occupy the same 
school-house, after one was built. Nothing occurred to excite any 
special interest until the time of holding the first Quarterly Meeting 
ever held here. This first Quarterly Meeting occurred January 19th 
and 20th, 1839, George W. Breckenridge and Thomas S. Jackway, 
preachers, and E. H. Pilcher, Presiding Elder. This meeting, from 
some circumstances connected with it, excited considerable attention. 
At the time when the meeting was appointed to be held at this place, 
the brethren, who requested that it be done, stated that the different 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 397 

denominations occupied the school-house, and the appointments were 
so arranged as not to interfere with each other; but they added, that 
if the meeting should occur at a time when the Methodists were not 
entitled to the use of the house, such was the feeling of friendship 
among the several sects that the matter would be arranged satisfac- 
torily, they had no doubt. 

Some four or five weeks prior to the time of the meeting, one 
of the stewards called on the pastor of the Baptist Church, Rev. Mr. 
Jones, and observed that they were to have a Quarterly Meeting 
there some time hence, he did not know exactly the time — perhaps it 
might fall on a day when he was entitled to occupy the house, and, 
if so, he wished to know if any arrangements could be made by 
which the Methodists could occupy it on that day. " O, yes, certainly," 
said he. Here the matter rested until the time of the meeting was 
announced, which was two or three weeks in advance of the time of 
its occurrence. It was now ascertained that the Methodists had the 
occupancy of the house in the forenoon, and Rev. Mr. Jones at one 
o'clock p. m. The brother now called on him and asked if the 
accommodation could be made, offering him the advantage of the 
next Methodist time for morning service, if he desired. "No" said 
he, " no such arrangement can be made,'' and then added, very 
crustily, " the Methodists are always trying to crowd us out." Here 
the matter dropped, for the brother did not know what more to do. 

When the Presiding Elder arrived on Saturday morning, the 
steward informed him of the circumstances, and seemed to be much 
distressed that matters stood as they did, The Presiding Elder 
simply said, very coolly : " O, well, we'll try and get along with it, 
somehow." He, however, determined if there was anything to be 
made out of it to turn it to the best account. His plans were soon. 
laid, but as he was not a talkative man, he said nothing about them. 
How far he was justified in what he did is left for each one to judge. 
He kept his plans to himself, thinking that secrecy in such a case 
was very essential to prompt and effectual execution. 

The people gathered at the house for Saturday service, and at 
the close the Presiding Elder announced the services for the Sabbath, 
making the love-feast to begin half an hour earlier than usual, and 
urged the people to be very prompt, " as we shall be straitened for 
time, since the Baptist brethren would not arrange the appointment 
even for a Quarterly Meeting." He intended, by getting the people 
together early, to close the services before the time for the other 
brother to have the use of the house. At night the same thing was 
repeated. It is but right to observe that the body of the Baptist 



398 HISTORY OF TROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

Church had not been consulted — that they had a Church meeting 
that afternoon, and sent word in the evening to the Presiding Elder 
that if he could not get along without it, they would give up the 
appointment at one o'clock p. m. To this he replied that he could get 
along without it. The people were on hand in good time, so that 
the preaching began a little before the hour appointed, as the house 
was crowded to its utmost capacity, and even Rev. Mr. Jones was 
present. 

The Presiding Elder preached, and, as he waxed warm on a 
particular part of his theme, he remarked that he would like to say 
more on it, but he was "straitened for time" and he passed on. At 
the close of the sermon, he had to attend to baptism, before the 
sacrament, so he said the candidates for the ordinance should come 
forward, without delay and without singing, as he was "straitened 
for time." The interest in the audience had become intense. At 
this point, the Rev. Mr. Jones called out, " How much time do you 
want, sir ?" The Presiding Elder replied that he could not tell 
exactly, as these services were of such a nature that they could not 
be abridged. Everything was done with the greatest promptitude. 
As the Presiding Elder was about to dismiss the congregation 
before the sacrament, he requested those who intended to retire, 
to do so with as much promptitude as they could — it would be re- 
ceived as a great kindness, as he was "straitened for time." At that, 
the Rev, Mr. Jones arose, and said he would recall his appointment 
for ten cents. "You need not do so; you shall have the house 
before that time," said the Presiding Elder. He then gave a full 
explanation of the whole matter. Everything conspired to effect 
promptness, and, in this way, the services of the Quarterly Meeting 
closed before the time for his meeting ; for, although he had recalled 
his appointment, the Presiding Elder preferred not to encroach on 
his time. This incident created a considerable stir for some time, 
and the sympathies of the people were generally on the side of 
the Methodists in the matter, so that the Rev. Mr. Jones gave up the 
pastoral care of that flock in about three months after. This, 
circumstance seemed to operate unfavorably to him and the Church, 
and turning the tide of feeling more towards the Methodists, proved 
to be to their advantage. 

In the month of April, 1839, there was a very blessed revival of 
religion in this place, from which the Methodist Church derived great 
strength. The Presiding Elder took time to devote several days to 
pastoral visiting, and preaching every evening, as the Circuit was so 
large that the preacher could not give much attention to this par- 




6£ 



ITZ^t^tyCf 




i^^> , 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 4OI 

ticular kind of work. Other Churches were benefited b^this work 
also. Indeed, there was a revival spirit all through this region of 
country, and multitudes were converted and added to the Churches. 

As is very often the case in revivals, the subject of baptism 
became a topic of considerable conversation and some controversy. 
By special request, the Presiding Elder made an appointment on the 
9th day of June, 183Q, to preach on that particular topic. It was 
Sabbath and a lovely day. In anticipation of a large concourse of 
people, the friends had prepared seats in a grove, and well it was 
they did so, for the school-house would not have held one-quarter 
of the people. He preached, traversing the whole controverted field. 
At the close of the sermon, he administered the ordinance of baptism 
to forty-six persons, and only two of them by immersion, Several 
had come with their changes of raiment, prepared for immersion, but 
took them away without being used, having been baptized by affu- 
sion. This ended the controversy on that subject in that part of 
the country for the time being and for a long time after. 

In the spring of 1840, the Society here erected a small house 
of worship, which they designated as their Sabbath School room. 
It was located on the east side of the river, a little out of the town, 
as it was then built up, but between that and the location of the 
Seminary. This little house they occupied just ten years ; for, in 
1850, they had erected a large brick church on the other side of 
the river, which was dedicated to the worship of God by Bishop 
Morris, in September of that year. This church was greatly changed 
and beautified, in 1876, under the pastoral labors of Dr. W. PL 
Perrine. They have, in 1876, 390 members and a Church property 
valued at $1 1,500. 

The village of Albion and the Church had so much increased that, 
by invitation, the Michigan Conference held its session, in Septem- 
ber, 1850, in it. The College Chapel was used for the daily busi- 
ness session. The Conference was well entertained, although the 
session was a brief one for those days, having adjourned on Tuesday 
morning. Bishop Morris presided. 

This Church has passed through the usual vicissitudes of human 
society, having had its times of trial and of prosperity, but still it 
has held on its way. The Lord has blessed them with good pastors, 
and many precious seasons of revival. Albion was made a separate 
Station in 1846, and William Mothersill was appointed to it. The 
existence of the Seminary and College here has been of very great 
service, both to the village and Church. 

There have been several very interesting Camp Meetings 



402 HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

held in this vicinity, which resulted in much good; and the grounds 
owned by the District here are very pleasant — even beautiful. One 
held in June, 1841, on a ground a little east of the village, was 
a time of special manifestation of the Divine power. Many were 
converted, and the Church was specially edified. The communion 
season, on Monday night, was an occasion of a wonderful display 
of Divine glory. There was no sermon, but, after the first altar-full 
had communed, as they turned away, so many were prostrated and 
helpless, that the service had to be closed. That night, probably 
there were one hundred persons who were deprived of their strength, 
some of them remaining so for a short time only, and some continu- 
ing helpless for the whole night. It was a time of very great joy 
and gladness. 

It will not be displeasing to the student of Protestant History 
to introduce, in this place, the memoir of one private member who 
belonged to this Church at the time of his demise, though he was 
not converted here. 

Dr. Isaac Grant was a venerable man, and, in some respects, a 
remarkable one. He was born on April 6th, 1759, in the town of 
Litchfield, Connecticut. From the circumstances of his early educa- 
tion, he was a Calvinist in sentiment in his youth. He had been 
taught this dogma, and, in his early days, had never heard it called 
in question. After coming, to maturity, he studied the profession 
of medicine, and gave no particular thought to religious devotions, 
although he acknowledged and felt the importance of a religious life. 
When he married, although he made no open profession of religion, 
nor had attached himself to the Church, for a long time he read the 
Scriptures and prayed in his family. His children never knew the 
time when he did not attend family devotions, if the frequent duties 
of his profession allowed him to be at home at the proper time. All 
this was attended to without having any experience of grace as yet 
He had settled at a place called Whitney Farm, in Vermont. Here 
the Methodist preachers visited him, and put into his hands some of 
the standard works against Calvinism. These he read with care, 
was thoroughly changed in his sentiments, and embraced the truth 
as it is in the Bible and expressed in the Methodist articles of faith, 

In 1 798, Rev. Asher Smith, who was in the second year of his 
itinerancy, having been appointed to Queen Ann's Circuit, and his 
health having failed, came to the town where Dr. Grant resided, and 
called on him for professional advice, by which means an acquaint- 
ance was formed and a friendship grew up. Mr. Smith gave out an 
appointment to preach, and, although his health was feeble, he con- 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 403 

tinued to preach every Sabbath with marked success. Many were 
awakened and converted, and the minister was greatly beloved. 
When he was about to return to his field of labor — much to the 
regret of the people, who were to be left as sheep without a shepherd 
— he suggested the propriety of banding themselves together, that 
they might mutually help each other's faith. He said one might be 
appointed to act as a leader or kind of teacher, while they were 
without a preacher. The people looked at each other, and finally 
looked at the doctor, who soon remarked that he did not think of 
being a Methodist, and that to do as the preacher, Mr. Smith, had 
proposed would not make them Methodists ; he thought, therefore, 
the plan to be a good one. Eighteen or twenty gave in their names; 
whereupon Mr. Smith made out a class-book and gave it to Dr. 
Grant, whom he appointed leader, telling him what would be his duty 
as a class-leader. When Mr. Smith was about to leave he gave Dr. 
Grant a Discipline and a few other Methodist books. As the doctor 
never charged a minister anything for professional services, perhaps 
Mr. Smith thought he ought to do something in that way for him, 
but more probably, however, he wished to show the converts, through 
their leader, the real marrow of the Gospel, and that they were 
gathered into the Gospel fold under the Methodist banner. The 
leader soon saw that they were in the Church, and, as he was always 
peculiar for frankness and honesty, he told the class that he had read 
and re-read the Discipline, and that there was no use to try to evade 
the truth — they were all Methodists according to the rules of the 
Church, and, on the whole, he did not regret it. 

Soon it was noised all through the country that Dr. Grant had 
become a Methodist. It was considered a wonderful piece of con- 
descension on his part, and it was indeed a remarkable occurrence 
at that day and in that country, that a professional man should 
become a Methodist. Methodism was such a new and strange thing 
that a man was regarded as losing caste if he became connected 
with it. But Dr. Grant had really become a Methodist. Now, having 
embraced the truth, he had to set himself to its defense, and this 
brought him at once into collision with " the standing order!' Many 
a hard contest had he to engage in, but such was his success in them 
that it really seemed as if God had raised him up, in that day of 
Calvinistic theology, to battle for the truth every day and almost 
everywhere. This contest he sustained most nobly. 

The precise time of Dr. Grant's conversion to God he could 
never determine, but through a period of about forty-three years he 
enjoyed an evidence of acceptance with God and witnessed a good 



404 HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

confession before the world. At the urgent request of the Quarterly 
Conference he took license as a local preacher, which he continued 
to hold between twenty and thirty years. For most of this period 
he held also the offices of class-leader and steward. He was a man 
of vigorous and well cultivated mind, and carried a great weight of 
influence where he lived. His Christian character was uniform and 
consistent. He had two sons, who became itinerant Methodist 
preachers, and who accomplished much for the cause of God in the 
Methodist Church during the time of their active service — Rev. Isaac 
Grant, in the Oneida Conference, now deceased, and Rev. Loring 
Grant, of the Genesee Conference, also deceased. The latter of 
these was a very prominent actor in the history of Methodism in 
Western New York for many years. He lived to a good old age,, 
and died in peace, having spent a number of years in Michigan, and 
was active in building up the College while residing in Albion. 

Dr. Grant was living with his son, Rev. Loring Grant, at 
Albion, at the time of his death, and had been for some time 
before. It was here that we became acquainted with him, and 
esteemed him highly. It became our mournful duty to preach his 
funeral sermon when he died. He had been a soldier in the War of 
the Revolution ; he was a warm-hearted and excellent preacher when 
in his prime ; he died in Christian hope and peace, November 9th, 
1 841, in the eighty-third year of his age. Few live so long, and 
fewer still fill up their lives with so much uniform usefulness. But 
he has gone to receive the reward of the faithful in heaven. 

We cannot better close this sketch than by inserting the follow* 
ing memorial notice of Rev. George B. Jocelyn, D. D. : 

" Died at his residence in Albion, Michigan, early in the morning 
of the 27th of February, 1877, of inflammation of the lungs, George 
Bemis Jocelyn, D. D., the distinguished President of Albion College, 
aged fifty- three years and twenty-four days. Born in New Haven, 
Connecticut, in 1824, he was early removed by his parents to Cincin- 
nati, Ohio, in 1826, and from thence to New Albany, Indiana, in 1830.. 
Here, at the age of fourteen years, he was converted to God, and 
joined the Methodist Episcopal Church. License to preach was given 
him in the fall of 1843, soon after which he was received on trial in 
the Indiana Annual Conference, and appointed, under Peter Guthrie, 
to Paoli Circuit. In 1844 he was appointed to Rockport, under George 
Walker. His health failing here, and yielding to the advice of his 
physicians, he was at the ensuing Conference discontinued at his own 
request. In June, 1844, he opened a select school in Vincennes, 
Indiana, and in September of the same year was placed in charge of 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 405 

the Preparatory Department of Vincennes University, which position 
he held until September, 1849, when he returned to New Albany and 
opened the Methodist College, now De Pauw College — using the 
basement of the Centenary Church. In 1853 he was elected 
Professor of Mathematics and Natural Sciences in Whitewater 
College, and in 1855 to the Presidency of the same institution. 

"In 1856, his health again failing, he found outdoor employment 
in traveling as a general agent for a Western railway company and 
the Northwestern University. In June, 1857, he was appointed to 
Fifth Street Church, Des Moines, Iowa, and in 1859 to Old Zion 
Church, Burlington. In 1861 he was elected President of the Iowa 
Wesleyan University, Mt. Pleasant, Iowa, serving meanwhile as 
pastor of the University and Asbury Chapels. 

"In 1864 he was elected President of Albion College, and was 
transferred from Iowa to the Detroit Conference. Resigning the 
Presidency in 1869, he was transferred to the Michigan Conference, 
and stationed at Division Street, Grand Rapids. In 18 71 he was 
re-elected as President of the College, which position he continued 
to fill until the time of his death. In personal appearance President 
Jocelyn bore the impress which nature loves to set upon her favorite 
sons, the patent of their nobility. Possessed of large natural endow- 
ments of brain and heart, and cultured by long-continued literary and 
educational pursuits, he stood among the abler and more efficient 
educators of the Church. 

"As a preacher, in power of thought, perspicuity of style, and 
impressiveness of manner, he had but few superiors. The ringing 
clearness of his voice, and the ease and naturalness of gesture, 
together with his commanding logical vigor and lively play of 
imagination, gave to him as an orator, at all times, unusual strength, 
and, when the conditions were most favorable, an almost resistless 
power. 

"As Professor of Mental and Moral Philosophy, his rostrum was 
a "hill not to be commanded." His lectures upon "The Evidences" 
will never be forgotten by those who heard them. It was, however, 
as President of the College that he performed his most invaluable 
service, and achieved his most enduring fame. When he came to 
its Presidency, the college was out of money, out of credit, out of 
friends, and out of character. Debts, doubts, and dilapidation were 
evidently approaching ; dissolution and death were the strong points 
in the case. Our endowment of seventy-five thousand dollars having 
been squandered, his very first measure was the creation of an 
"Endowment Trust Fund Committee" — distinct from the Board of 



4-06 HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

Trustees — to be charged with the duty of holding or investing all 
endowment funds, and of paying over to the Board of Trustees only 
the semi-annual interest accruing thereon — a measure which instantly 
restored confidence, and has ever since constituted the very main- 
spring of the successive efforts to create and enlarge the endowment 
of the College. 

"As a monument of this provident sagacity and of his general 
executive efficiency, Albion College to-day stands before the world 
the best endowed College in Michigan — the best endowed College 
in Methodism. 

" President Jocelyn was three times elected to the General 
Conference — once from the Detroit and twice from the Michigan 
Annual Conferences. At his last election he stood at the head of 
his delegation. He was also President of the recent National Tem- 
perance Convention held at Saratoga, New York. 

" His last illness, an acute attack of inflammation of the lungs, 
in combination with several chronic ailments, was painful in the 
extreme, and yet he bore all with the same fortitude which had ever 
characterized him in the season of trial. Calmly debating at times 
with his physician or friends the doubtful symptoms of his case, at 
others in cheerful Christian converse, or in commending his loved 
ones to God, steadily, yet fearlessly, he went down to the margin of 
the clouded stream, and, wishing all who stood about him 'Good 
night,' he quietly passed away. 

" His funeral obsequies were largely attended by members of 
both the Detroit and Michigan Conferences, by distinguished friends 
of the family from abroad, and by an immense concourse of citizens. 
Rev. H. M. Joy, a former pastor, Rev. I. Taylor, Presiding Elder 
of the District, Dr. Edwards, of the Northwestern, assisted in the 
services. Dr. Perrine, long associated with the lamented President 
in the College, preaching the memorial discourse from II. Samuel, 
3: 38. W. H. P." 

Lansing, although a city, was not always so, for, as late as 1847, 
the ground on which it stands was a dense forest. The town had 
no existence, even in name, prior to the spring of 1847, anc ^ then 
came into existence only in consequence of the location there of the 
seat of government for the State by the Legislature. It is true, 
there were a few scattered inhabitants in the country, preaching had 
been established among them by the indefatigable Methodist itiner- 
ants, and a small Society had been formed in that part of the town 
which for a long time was known as Lower Town, before the State 
Capital was located there. As soon as the location was settled for 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 407 

the State Capital, Rev. O. Whitmore, who was then on Mapleton 
Circuit, made this an appointment, thus being the first minister of 
any denomination to establish services here. A Congregational min- 
ister, by the name of Brown, came here and spent a Sabbath about 
the time the commissioners surveyed and platted the town. He 
preached, but he did not establish services. 

In the summer of 1847, Rev. William C. Comfort, who was 
then on Lyons Circuit, went up there and organized a Methodist 
Church at that point, although one had been previously formed 
down the river a short distance, which has since been concentrated 
in the north part of the city. At the session of the Conference in 
September, 1847, Lansing was included in Mapleton Circuit, with 
Rev. F. A. Blades as preacher in charge, and Rev. James Shaw as 
Presiding Elder. The District was named Grand River, and Mr. 
Shaw, the Presiding Elder, fixed his residence at Lansing. 

It seemed like a very strange thing when the Legislature fixed 
on so wild a place for the Capital of the State. It was said to have 
been designed by some, who voted for it in the first place, as a joke, 
in order to ridicule the idea of removing it from Detroit. But, when 
they wished to undo what they had done, they found it to be a ''fixed 
fact" and no joke. We have nothing to do with the political man- 
agement to secure this location — whether any men were bribed by 
grants of land, as was charged by some disappointed ones, is not 
for us to say. It is enough for us to know that the State Capital 
was so located ; that a town was laid out, and has been built up so 
that, according to the census of 1874, there was a population of 
7,445, having Churches of different denominations, and schools of a 
high order ; and everything is flourishing. 

At the session of the Conference in September, 1848, Lansing 
appears in the Minutes of the appointments, having been made a 
Station — a wise act, a right policy — and Rev. Ransom R. Richards 
w r as placed in charge of it. Mr. Richards suffered much in his own 
health, and still more in the sickness and death of his wife, a most 
estimable lady, of whom more will be said hereafter. The next 
year, 1849, R ev - R- Sapp was appointed to this very important field. 
Mr. Sapp was regarded as a very able minister. It was the right 
kind of policy to appoint this class of ministers to such a place as 
this, not that the village amounted to much at the time, but because 
it was destined to become a central point of influence for the State, 
and was prospectively great. Let the foundations of the Church be 
well laid at the beginning, and then it will be comparatively easy to 
maintain the cause. It was wise, too, to concentrate labor here 



408 HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

instead of making it only an appointment in a Circuit, as so many 
other places were in earlier years. For the next two years, that is, 
from September, 1850, to September, 1852, Rev, Oren Whitmore 
was appointed in charge, and did most excellent service. It is not 
necessary to follow out the annual appointments any further, but we 
may simply say that it has been most ably supplied. 

Lansing appears in the Minutes first in September, 1848, and 
the first report of members was in September, 1849, when there 
were seventy reported. Now — in 1876 — according to the Minutes 
of Conference, there are two English and one German Stations, 
having 451 English and 133 German members, making a total of 
584 members, and a property valued at $37,500. 

Lansing was included in the Grand River District from 1847 to 
1856, but at this latter date the Lansing District was created. By 
invitation of the people, the Michigan Conference held its session 
here in 1857, and was well entertained. The Church has had the 
ordinary conflicts to contend with, but its progress has been steadily 
forward. 

We have before stated that while Mr. Richards was stationed 
at Lansing, his wife, a most amiable, excellent and pious lady, died, 
after a long and painful illness, which she endured with most cheer- 
ful Christian fortitude. It is well, in this place, to give a short sketch 
of her life and Christian experience. She had been converted to 
God in early life, and had a deep and sound Christian experience — 
she knew the "fullness of her Saviour's love." For a good many 
years she had given herself up to become subject to the privations 
and labors of an itinerant ministers wife. Faithfully and well had 
she performed her work, and has gone to receive her crown, which 
is doubtless studded with many gems. 

Mrs. Harriet Richards was born in Warsaw, New York, 
November 4th, 181 6; she died in Macomb, Michigan, February 8th, 
1849, m th e thirty-third year of her age. She sought and found 
salvation through faith in Jesus Christ at the age of fourteen years, 
and immediately united with the Methodist Episcopal Church. 
Shortly after her conversion her father emigrated to Michigan, and 
settled in Macomb County, where she adorned her Christian profes- 
sion by a pious and devoted life. 

On the 29th day of March, 1839, she was united in marriage to 
Rev. R. R. Richards, but a few rods from the spot where, ten years 
afterwards, she triumphantly departed this life. She did not possess 
a very marked degree of intelligence which would have singled her 
out from among her associates, but she possessed a sweetness of 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 409 

disposition, and a dignity in all her movements which commanded at 
once the love and respect of all who knew her. She had exceedingly 
few enemies, and was peculiarly fitted to be a minister's wife. She 
endured all the trials incident to her situation as the wife of an 
itinerant preacher, without a murmur, regarding it not only her duty 
to do, but to suffer the will of God. She was a Christian in the 
highest sense of the word ; ever ready to do her duty at home and 
abroad ; yet she had very humble views of her own attainments in 
religion, often remarking, "It will be a wonder of wonders if one so 
unworthy as I am ever gets to heaven." While she seldom failed to 
speak or pray in the prayer meeting, it was in her closet in private 
communion with God that she found her happiest moments. Her 
husband had to be absent at his work much of the time, but often on 
returning home he had the happy privilege of finding her praising 
God aloud, with tears of joy flowing from her eyes, and her face 
shining with a divine radiance, like that of Moses when he talked 
with God. As she lived, so she died, at peace with God and all His 
children. 

When she went to Lansing she little expected to survive through 
the year, as she saw that death was approaching, but to her he was 
robbed of his sting. The only occasion on which she was known to 
manifest any unwillingness to depart was when she and her husband 
were riding past the graveyard at Lansing, and observing two or 
three newly-made graves among some old logs and brush, she said, 
" It hardly seems to me that I can be buried here." When it 
became manifest that she could survive but a short time, she was 
removed by her husband to the residence of a sister in Macomb 
County, that she might be with her relatives in her last moments, 
and be buried among her kindred. Soon after her arrival she 
requested her friends to procure the materials for her grave clothes, 
that she might make them with her own hands. After providing for 
her among her relatives, her husband returned to his pastoral charge, 
expecting to be informed if there should be any change for the 
worse. For some time she seemed to improve, but suddenly grow- 
ing worse, the message was sent for her husband. He hastened to 
her bedside. On reaching the place, he found her evidently near 
the close of life, but perfectly composed, and looking up to him with 
a sweet smile, she said : " I did not believe the Lord would let me 
die till you came," and inquired how he got along in his work. When 
she drew near to her end, and it seemed as if she could breathe but 
a few times more, on reviving, her husband said, "You seemed almost 
gone." She replied, "I thought I could breathe but a few times 



4IO HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

more, but I did not see the chariot." After remaining for some time 
with her eyes closed, she opened them, looked all around, and then 
upwards, exclaiming, " A light— a light. You did not see that light. 
It was most beautiful." So she came to her end in peace, with the 
light of God on her path. 

Ionia. — Although we have made a general survey of the Grand 
River Valley, under the head of Grand Rapids, we cannot repress the 
desire to speak of this place specifically. Ionia is near the Grand 
River, about fifty miles above the Rapids, and is the seat of justice 
for Ionia County. The settlement, though begun a little earlier, did 
not attract much attention until the Land Office for the northwestern 
part of Michigan was located there in 1835. 

The first settlers, among whom were the Yeomanses and the 
Dexters, were of the Baptist persuasion, but yet they were not sup- 
plied with preaching of their own faith for some time after the 
Methodist itinerants had visited and preached Christ to the people. 
When Osband Monnett, a modest, retiring, but very pious young 
man, was sent as a missionary to Grand River, he followed the water 
course in each direction from the Rapids, searching out the few 
settlers scattered through the woods, and came to this place 
in 1835. 

It may not be out of place to indulge in a few reflections just 
here on that part of the Methodist economy which enabled that 
Church to supply the Gospel so soon and so faithfully to the settlers 
in the new country. The itinerant system of the Methodist Episcopal 
Church is peculiarly adapted to the wants of a new country, and to 
maintaining religious services in sparsely populated districts. It is 
equally adapted to older settlements, even though they can later 
supply themselves with the services of a minister. The itinerant, with 
a salary fixed by rules, but yet entirely dependent on the people 
whom he serves, and at the disposal of the superior officers of his 
Church, without a voice in regard to the particular appointment he 
is to serve, or in regard to his pay, receives his orders from his 
Bishop at the Conference, and takes possession of the field of labor 
assigned him with a zeal and devotion worthy of the great cause in 
which he is engaged. Like the famous Mississippi postmaster, who 
kept the office in his hat and delivered the mail along the shore, the 
itinerant, whose waterproof portmanteau contains his wardrobe and 
library, is ready for any call, and can draw on that portmanteau in 
any emergency. Mounted upon a stout horse, and with heavy riding 
whip, Bible and hymn-book in hand, with a single, change of clothing 
perhaps, and less than a dollar in change in his pocket, he seeks his 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 4 1 I 

field of operations half a thousand miles distant — it may be savage 
or civilized, prairie or wilderness, Indian trail or turnpike, it makes 
no difference, the chalk-mark of the Bishop is before him; the 
success of his enterprise and a good report at Conference now 
occupy his attention. His sermons are studied in the saddle, and 
brought into consistency by a prior delivery to an audience of trees, 
imagined to be people. 

This system of training may not produce a very learned minis- 
try, or often secure the affix of D. D. to the name, but it frequently 
produces strong original thinkers and very fine natural orators. The 
policy of Conference usually assigns the frontier Districts and Circuits 
to the young men, not as a penance exactly, but, perhaps, on the 
authority of the New Testament, where two principal characters 
commenced their ministerial teaching in the wilderness, or upon the 
example of an eminent French missionary, who returned from his 
barbarian audiences to astonish all Paris with his eloquence. 

This system of an itinerant Gospel ministry prevented many of 
our Southern States from relapsing into barbarism ; and to it our 
own State is indebted for many, indeed for most of its early religious 
privileges, and for its subsequent advantages. 

The Territory of Michigan was included in the Ohio Conference 
from 1820 until the autumn of 1836, and the Michigan woods became 
the dreaded field of the Ohio itinerant, not so much on account of 
the woods, to which he was accustomed, as on account of the neces- 
sity of contact with the Yankee settlers, who, accustomed to the ways 
of the world, the Church and the school-house, could frequently in- 
struct the young parson, in the science of civilization, at least. The 
Ohio preachers were, however, usually well received in Michigan, 
and they occasionally deemed themselves well repaid for enduring 
Yankee jokes and witticisms by being able to report at Conference 
the capture and possession of a rosy-cheeked Yankee maiden, trans- 
formed into a wife. 

In the year 1835, tne Grand River Valley becoming known on 
the maps of the Territory, excited attention, and settlers rushed into 
it by scores. The Conference wishing to extend its jurisdiction over 
it, and to supply the new settlers with the Gospel, despatched young 
Monnett, as before mentioned, to gather into the fold the scattered 
sheep in this northern wilderness. He was young and modest, was 
mounted on a fine Ohio horse, and appeared on his field of labor in 
the height of the land excitement, which filled the woods with specu- 
lators. That fine horse of his, among the Indian ponies, became 
the horse of the woods, and was deemed too good an animal for a 



4 1 2 HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

preacher to own. The result was, the horse disappeared in the 
night-time. Some one, not having the fear of the preacher before 
his eyes, appropriated him to his own use without his owner's con- 
sent, and Monnett was obliged to travel on foot. In his report at 
the Conference, in which the lost horse occupied a conspicuous 
place, he consoled himself by saying that, if the horse had not been 
stolen, he certainly would have starved to death during the winter, 
and it was safer for him to run the risk of possible over-driving in 
the hands of a Yankee than certain starvation in the Grand River 
woods. If this was not a case of the philosophy of religion, it was 
certainly a specimen of religious philosophy. This was a time to 
try what kind of stuff the man was made of, and to test his fidelity 
to the work to which he had been appointed. He continued faith- 
fully in the field until his allotted term of service expired. 

Methodistically considered, at that time Ionia did not have as 
much importance attached to it as Lyons, some six or eight miles 
further up the river, because at the latter place a Methodist Society 
was formed in the spring of 1836, and, though the itinerants preached 
at Ionia, they could not organize a Society, so, when the Grand River 
Mission was divided, the upper part of it was called Lyons instead of 
Ionia. The latter place does not appear in the list of appointments 
until the autumn of 1853. Rev. George Bignell was appointed to it, 
and, at the end of the year he returned one hundred and sixty mem- 
bers. From this time forward it has been continued a station. The 
Presiding Elder's District is now called Ionia. 

The Methodist Episcopal Church was first organized in Ionia in 
1839 by Rev. Zebulon C. Brown, who at the time was in charge of 
Lyons Circuit. The Society consisted of only Jive members. Mr. 
Brown, who organized this Church, was a man of a very strong in- 
tellect, and cultivated, but rather slow and moderate in speaking, 
and consequently was not very popular among the people generally, 
but among men of thought he ranked high, as he well deserved to do. 
We once heard him preach on this passage, " God is a spirit." It 
was a most close and masterly sermon, showing the spirituality of 
God and the necessity of spiritual worship. He possessed a sound 
Christian experience, and was truly devoted to God, but his health 
was rather feeble, which prevented him from putting forth that active, 
energetic labor which the people demanded. He located in 1843, 
and settled at Saline, where he adorned the Christian profession by 
a consistent and devoted life. He has since died as such a man 
would be expected to die — in great peace, giving glory to God 
through Jesus Christ our Lord. 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 4 1 3 

The minister whose name stands connected with Ionia, when it 
first appears in the list of appointments, after having filled several 
other Stations, returned to die among this people, to whom he was 
very much attached, and who were very much attached to him. 

" Rev. George Bignell was born in Carlton, New York, January 
28th, 1823, and died at Ionia, Michigan, December 31st, 1858, of 
consumption. At the age of ten years he was powerfully converted 
to God, and offered himself to the Church to unite on probation, but 
was refused admission on the ground of his being too young. This 
refusal had a discouraging influence on his mind, and resulted in his 
backsliding. Under the ministry of Rev. D. C. Jacokes, he was 
reclaimed, in Oakland County, Michigan, in the eighteenth year of 
his age. He soon felt it to be his duty to preach the Gospel, but, 
instead of making preparation for that work, he, through timidity of 
character, fled from duty, and took refuge in one of the great pine 
forests in the northwestern part of Ionia County, hoping to escape 
the call of God. An incident occurred here which closed up all 
vacillation, and determined his course. While felling trees, in com- 
pany with his brother and another man, he looked up, and saw a 
large pine tree within ten or fifteen feet of him, coming with a mighty 
crash. With a scream to his brother, he sprang aside, barely es- 
caping being crushed into the earth. With a soul already deeply 
agitated, the effect of this incident may be imagined. He, on the 
spot, pledged himself to his Maker to do his duty, and, in a short 
time, he left the forest, returned to his home in Oakland County, and 
commenced the preparation necessary to enter upon the work of an 
itinerant minister. 

"In May, 1846, he was licensed as an exhorter; in 1847, ne was 
licensed as a local preacher, and employed by the Presiding Elder 
to travel on Farmington Circuit. He was admitted on trial into the 
Michigan Conference, at Kalamazoo, in 1848, and appointed to 
Talmage Circuit; 1849, to Paris; 1850, he was admitted to full 
connection, ordained Deacon by Bishop Morris, and appointed to 
Niagara; 1851-2, to Hastings; 1853-4, to Ionia; 1855, to Green- 
ville, Montcalm County; 1856-7, to Edwardsburg, Cass County, 
where, early in the second year, he ceased to work, and went to 
Ionia. 

"He was pleasing in his address and successful as a minister; 
perhaps five hundred were converted under his labors. He was a 
man of untiring, quiet zeal, of marked integrity, of one work. His 
sickness was long-continued, but through all of it he was graciously, 
wonderfully supported. In 1858 he wa?s placed on the superan- 



414 HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

nuatecl list, and he returned to this place. His death was one of the 
most blissful and triumphant. Just before he died, some friends 
commenced singing: 

" Could we but climb where Moses stood, 
And view the landscape o'er; 

" * Stop ! Stop ! ' said he, ' I am done climbing. I am up there. 
Sing: 

" The promised land from Pisgah's top 
I now exult to see; 
My hope is full, O, glorious hope! 
Of immortality.' " 

And so he fell asleep in the arms of Jesus. We acknowledge 
ourself indebted mainly to the pen of Rev. R. Sapp, who was 
stationed at Ionia at the time, for this sketch. 

Rev. R. Sapp, who was stationed here in 1858, was one of the 
ablest ministers in the Michigan Conference, having occupied some 
of the most important positions as stationed minister and as 
Presiding Elder. He was honored by his brethren by being elected 
as delegate to the General Conference several times. He made a 
good record during a ministry of many years, and when he came to 
pass the Jordan of death he found himself ready, and passed tri- 
umphantly over. He had suffered much and long, but endured all 
trustingly, "as seeing Him that is invisible." He was Presiding Elder 
of Grand Rapids District at the time of his death, which occurred in 
the spring of 1872. He was a man truly devoted to the interests of 
the Church, and rejoiced in its prosperity. He has left an enduring 
name, for he had filled charges in most all parts of the State of 
Michigan — though all of his latter years were in the west half of the 
State. 

We will now return to the first introduction of the Gospel into 
Ionia. There is a romantic incident connected with it worth record- 
ing, to which we now invite attention. We are indebted to one of 
the parties concerned for the facts. 

Late one afternoon, in 1835, a young man might have been seen 
running out from the little village along the Indian trail, eastward, to 
meet another who was seen coming on an Indian pony, with a 
camp-kettle and other accoutrements dangling by his side. As he 
drew near the horseman, he made demonstrations to have him stop, 
and when the rider drew up the other cried out, " Are you a Meth- 
odist ?" " Certainly," said the man on the horse. "Then I want you 
to come to Deacon Yeomans's to preaching to-night. They are good 
people there, but thev won't pray for me. Will you come ? " " Cer- 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 4/5 

tainly," answered the horseman, " and you go to all those crowds of 
men and tell them there is to be meeting there, and invite them to 
come, and they will do it." " But will you be there and help me ? " 
asked the footman. " Yes, certainly," was the reply. This was young 
Monnett, the missionary, and the man on horseback was Joseph 
Brown, then of Ann Arbor. The occasion of all this was that there 
were five or six hundred men here waiting the opening of the United 
States Land Office, and not being able to find accommodations in 
the few log houses while they were waiting for the opening of the 
office, which had been delayed a few days for the want of suitable 
buildings, they had camped around log heaps. Monnett had passed 
around among them inquiring after a Methodist. One group had 
sent him to another, until they began to feel a little mischievous over 
it, when one, seeing Brown coming at a distance, directed his atten- 
tion towards him, and remarked to the preacher that " that boy 
yonder, coming over the bluff upon an Indian pony, with his camp- 
kettle dangling at his saddle, is a real live Methodist." Away he 
started, with a countenance betokening the last stages of the "blues." 
That which was intended for a joke proved to be true in this instance. 
He was a Methodist, and when the young preacher learned the fact, 
he said, " I am glad of it ; you must come down and take holt." 
" Very well," said Brown, " are there no professors about here ? " 
" Yes," said the preacher, "there are a few Baptists, but they won't 
pray." "Never mind," said Brown, "we will hold the meeting." 
Brown found they had criticised the Ohio preacher in his homespun 
pretty thoroughly, which he, having endured well, they engaged as a 
body to go and hear him preach. As Brown was about leaving for 
tea some two miles distant, Monnett reassured himself by privately 
saying to Brown: "You will surely be there?" "Of course/' 
said he. 

At dusk, on arriving at the Deacon's, Brown found the house 
crowded, and many in the yard. " Look here," said the preacher, 
" I will sing and open the meeting, and you must exhort and close." 
"Very well," said Brown, " but you just open, read a long hymn, and 
line it, as we have no books; then read a long chapter, and make 
some remarks upon it ; pay it on to these land sharks, it will do them 
good." The meeting proceeded according to programme. The 
hymn was lined, and the Grand River woods rang with the chorus 
from six hundred voices. After listening to a very fine exhortation 
of half an hour, the services were appropriately closed. Brown's 
part consisted simply in reading the closing hymn. 

What a change has come over this country, and over the people. 



4 T< 5 HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

This was the beginning. The progress has been glorious, and 
the end will be triumphant. The present population of the city,, 
according to the census of 1874, is 3,251, having all the appliances 
of a growing and prosperous town. 

The different religious denominations established themselves in 
due order, and having had their successes, are engaged in the work 
of evangelization according to their peculiar views and modes of 
work. 

According to the Minutes of the Michigan Conference for 1876, 
the Methodist Society has a church building valued at $10,000. They 
have also given due attention to the Sunday School work, and in this 
department they are successful and prosperous, The Annual Con- 
ference held its session here in September, 1873, and was satisfac- 
torily entertained. Thirty-seven years have now elapsed since the 
five were organized into a Church, and that Church has grown to 
number three hundred and fifty -eight, besides those who have gone 
over the river to their glorious reward. Verily, God has been with 
this people, and has crowned their labors with success. 

Allegan has been mentioned before, but it is desirable to say 
a few words more in relation to it. We have already said that Mr. 
Robe extended his Circuit into this county in 1832, while he was trav- 
eling the Kalamazoo Circuit. This was considered as one of the de- 
sirable portions of country on account of its advantages for lumber- 
ing. Hon. Flavius Littlejohn and other important personages, settled 
at the village bearing the name of the county, laid out a town, and 
gathered around them civilizing and elevating influences, such as 
religious services and schools. The names of William Todd, now 
deceased, and Franklin Gage, still living, are very familiariy associ- 
ated with the early history of this country as pioneer ministers. As 
the country has developed, and the inhabitants have increased, 
Churches of the different denominations have been established, and 
have exerted their preserving and elevating influence. We are 
pleased to record that the early settlers of the town of Allegan were 
religious people, and availed themselves of such ministerial services 
as they could obtain. How rapidly the country has been settled 
maybe inferred from the fact that in 1874 the population of this 
county was 32,381. This is one of the interesting and valuable 
portions of the State. Being one of the Lake counties, it must 
always be one of the finest growing ones, and will attract attention. 

We take pleasure in presenting, in this connection, a brief 
notice of one who feels a deep interest in this region of country, and 
who, having recently become office editor of the Michigan Christian 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 417 

Advocate, expects to do much valuable work for God and humanity 
in that connection. 

Rev. James H. Potts was born in Canada, June 12th, 1848. 
With his father's family, he moved to Kalamazoo County, Michigan, 
and having, by hard study, qualified himself for teaching, he engaged 
his first school at the age of sixteen. At the close of the war, having 
served as a soldier, he graduated from Mayhew's Business College, 
intending to devote his life to mercantile pursuits. While visiting 
his early home, however, the memories of his childhood and the 
counsels of his deceased mother, so operated upon his mind that, in 
January, 1857, he experienced religion, and united with the Church. 
Yielding to a long-resisted conviction that he should preach the 
Gospel, he was duly licensed, and, while prosecuting his theological 
studies, served as a local preacher. In the fall of 1869, he was 
married to Miss Alonsa C. Cole, of West Le Roy, Michigan, and 
united with the Michigan Conference at its session held at Grand 
Rapids in that year. While serving as pastor, he wrote considerably 
for the press. In consequence of the loss of hearing, to a large 
extent, he found it difficult to do the work of the pastorate, so in 
September, 1877, he accepted an editorial position on the Michigan 
Christian Advocate, and moved to the City of Detroit. 

While in the pastoral work, Mr. Potts did very valuable service, 
and retired from it for editorial work, greatly to the regret of the 
people with whom he had served, and with much reluctance on his 
own part. He now is in a position to speak to thousands of per- 
sons every week without the embarrassment of an ear-trumpet. 
His trumpet will give no uncertain sound. The pen is now to take 
the place of the voice. He has a clear mind and a warm, Christian 
heart. 






41 8 HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 




CHAPTER XIV. 

Task Nearly Finished — German Work — Wesleyans — Other Protestant Churches— Time Elapsed— 
Statistics — Comparative Progress — Church Property — Congregational Church — Indian Work 
— M. Hiekey — Unitarian Notice— Book Depository — J. M. Arnold — "Michigan Christian 
Advocate" — " Northwestern Christian Advocate" — Dr. Edwards — Bay View. 

jE have now nearly completed our allotted task, and pre- 
sented an outline history of the progress of Protestant- 
ism in this Peninsular State, and yet there are a few- 
items which we could not very well introduce into any 
place in the body of the work, which we may present in 
this concluding chapter. 
A very important work of evangelization among the German 
immigrants settled in the City of Detroit, was begun in 1845, by 
Rev. John M. Hartman, a Methodist preacher, which has been car- 
ried forward till there are now in the city two German Methodist 
Episcopal Churches doing a good work. The work has extended 
to all the towns and cities where there is any considerable German 
population, so that there are now in this State 1,608 members and 
fifteen ministers connected with the Methodist Episcopal Church. 

In 1 841, there was a small defection from the Methodist Epis- 
copal Church on account of slavery. The controversy had been 
going on for several years, but now the defection took shape, and 
resulted in the organization of a branch of "The American Wes- 
leyan Church" in Michigan. This took a few members and local 
preachers, among whom, Marcus Swift, Samuel Bibbins, and Guy 
Beckley were the most prominent — all deceased ; but the principal 
cause of the separation having been removed by the abolition of 
slavery in the nation, a large proportion of the ministers and people 
have returned to the Methodist Episcopal Church. The prime 
movers of the movement in this State, Marcus Swift and Samuel 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 42 1 

Bibbins, were very good and conscientious men. Mr. Swift died 
early after entering on the work of building up this new denomi- 
nation. Mr. Bibbins, a very devoted Christian man, lived to return 
to the Church in 1867, an d died in great peace, a member of the 
Detroit Conference. He died in May, 1877. Dr. Luther Lee, who 
was active in this movement in the East, came to Michigan, and in 
1867 returned to the Methodist Episcopal Church, as did Dr. McEl- 
downey. 

There are small bodies of Protestant Christians in this State 
which have not been mentioned particularly, such as the Free Will 
Baptists, who were very early in the field, and who are maintaining 
a college at Hillsdale; the Methodists, or, as they are more famili- 
arly known, Protestant Methodists; the United Brethren, United 
Presbyterian, the Dutch Reformed, the Free Methodist, the Wes- 
leyan Methodist, and, among the colored people, the African Meth- 
odist Episcopal Church, the Zion Methodist Episcopal Church, and, 
perhaps, there may be one or two others. We have omitted these 
because they are so few in any given place that to give sketches of 
them would have required too much minuteness of detail, and it has 
been impracticable for us to obtain their statistics. 

It is now sixty-six years, for which we take account of statistics, 
since the first Protestant Church was organized in Michigan, consist- 
ing, at the time, of only seven members — three men and and four 
women. This first Church has always maintained its existence, not- 
withstanding the disasters of war and other difficulties. Other 
Churches were organized in due time and entered on their spiritual 
work. We are able to present a summary of the numerical strength 
of the principal denominations, giving the date of their first organi- 
zation, with this remark, that the Congregational Church does not 
appear before 1842, although some of the early Churches were 
organized on that plan ; yet, by a plan of union with the Presby- 
terians, they lost their identity till the date given. The ministers are 
included in the membership. We show, at the same time, the value 
of Church property — that is of Churches and parsonages, and not 
including Sabbath School libraries and furnishings : 

Date. Members. Value of Property. 

Methodist Episcopal 1810 56,100 $3,000,000 

Presbyterian 1820 13,348 No report. 

Protestant Episcopal 1824 8,969 No report. 

Baptist 1827 24,508 No report. 

Congregational .1842 13,935 1,076,233 

116,860 



4 2 2 HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

It is well now to compare this progress of Protestant commu- 
nicants with the progress of population. In 1810 the population of 
the Territory was 4,762, and only seven Church members or commu- 
nicants, or one in 680 of the population. According to the census 
of 1874, the population had increased to 1,334,300, and the Church 
members or communicants have grown to 1 16,860, which would 
make about one communicant for every eleven and one-third of the 
population. The increase of the population for the last two years 
will be fully met by the number of communicants in the minor 
denominations not enumerated. We find, then, great reason for hope 
for the future of our State in a religious aspect. We have not made 
any general statement as to the number of children and youth, 
who are every Sabbath engaged in Bible study in the various Church 
Sabbath Schools. And there are very many such. 

The Roman Catholics, according to their last Ordo Book, claim 
to be numerically and influentially, as follows, in the State of Michi- 
gan, viz.: 

Churches, 192; priests, 114; hospitals, 4; orphan asylums, 5 ; 
religious institutions, 15; schools, 54; population, 175,000. The 
population includes all their adherents of all classes, children as well 
as adults, which is about one-eighth of the population of the State. 

We certainly have nothing to fear from Romanism if Protestants 
are only faithful to themselves, because there is a constant advance 
in true Christian power over the increase of population. After all 
the croakings and boastings of skeptics of various classes, Christianity 
is on the advance. The figures given in relation to the Protestant 
Churches show only the actual membership, which is to be multi- 
plied by 3 for adherents, making 350,250, or one in about three- 
eighths of the whole population. 

We here present a synoptical history of the Congregational 
Church in Michigan, furnished us by the author. We should have 
been glad to have done the same thing for other Churches if such 
had been furnished us. 

"An historical sketch of the Congregational Churches of the State 
of Michigan during the century preceding A. D. 1876. Prepared at 
the request of the authorities of the State for the Centennial Exhibition 
at Philadelphia. By Rev. P. R. Hurd, D. D. y Secretary of the General 
Association!' 

Congregationalism, as a system of Church order, is well under- 
stood. And yet it may not be amiss to state that it consists in 
allowing no man, or body of men, "to lord it over God's heritage," 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 423 

but in asserting the essential independence of the local Church, in 
connection with a substantial fellowship with all the Churches. 

Congregationalism in the State of Michigan, as in most of the 
other States west of the Hudson River, was at first largely merged 
into Presbyterianism. Under the famous " Plan of Union " the govern- 
ment of the Churches was mixed, members belonging to each de- 
nomination being allowed to enjoy their own preacher from within 
the particular Church. And although many of these Churches were 
organized under the name and title of Congregational, yet, since 
they were subjected to the care of the Presbytery within whose 
bounds they happened to be, and since their ministers, though for 
the most part from Congregational New England, were also mem- 
bers of this body, it very naturally turned out that by far the large 
majority of them became at length distinctively Presbyterian. Nearly 
all the older and stronger Churches of the State, irrespective of 
their original organization, are now to be found in that communion. 
Traces of the origin of some of them appear in the corporate name 
of the ecclesiastical Society with which they are connected. That 
name remains to this day Congregational. As might have been 
anticipated, some Churches were formed at that early day in the set- 
tlements which failed to become centers of population or business, 
and which, therefore, were either disbanded, or merged in others 
which, afterwards formed, promised a greater permanency. 

The first Congregational minister that ever visited the new 
State of Michigan, and, indeed, it is to be believed, the first minister 
of any evangelical denomination, was Rev. David Bacon, of Con- 
necticut, the father of the present Rev. Leonard Bacon, D. D., of 
New Haven, Connecticut. Mr. Bacon arrived at Detroit on the 
1 1 th day of September, 1 800, on an exploring expedition for the 
establishment of a Mission among the Indians. After spending a 
few months in that vicinity, he returned to Connecticut, where he 
was ordained and married. Returning the following spring, and 
not meeting with the success in the Mission that was anticipated, he 
soon retired, and became the founder of the town and Church of 
Talmadge, Ohio. 

In July, 1824, Rev. Isaac Ruggles came from Connecticut, and 
established himself in Pontiac, then an Indian trading-post ; from 
which place he radiated in every direction, traveling on foot, preach- 
ing the Gospel and founding Churches as he found opportunity. 
At that time there were very few Church organizations of the affili- 
ated denominations outside of Detroit, and, so far as can be ascer- 
tained, no Congregational or Presbyterian minister, except the Rev. 



424 HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

Mr. Ferry, a Presbyterian — the father of the present Senator Ferry 
— who was then a missionary to the Indians at Mackinaw. 

Previous to 1830, several Churches had been organized, some by 
the name of Congregational, and some Presbyterian, the representa- 
tives of which, together with the six ministers then in the Territory, 
composed the Detroit Presbytery. Up to this date, Presbyterianism,. 
therefore, had everything its own way. 

In June, 1831, John D. Pierce arrived in the Territory, under 
commission from the American Home Missionary Society. On con- 
sulting with the Missionary Committee of the Presbytery of Detroit, 
as to his future operations, as he was advised to do by the Secretary 
of the Society, Mr: Pierce was gravely informed that he would be 
expected to connect himself with the Presbytery ; and that it would 
be neither desirable nor wise for him to organize distinctively Con- 
gregational Churches. The reason given for this was the assertion 
that, while Congregationalism was well enough for New England, 
it was not at all adapted to the new settlements of the West, an 
assertion which was so often and so emphatically repeated in those 
days, that it came to be believed even in New England itself, and 
had much to do in repressing the growth of Congregationalism on 
the entire Western field. This advice of the Committee he did not 
see fit to take, very logically considering that if this young Church 
order had proved itself sufficiently strong for the infant settlements 
of New England, it could not be wanting in adaptation to those of 
any other region. Mr. Pierce finally settled in Marshall, and took 
an active part, subsequently, not only in shaping the polity of the 
Churches of the State, but also in giving form to that excellent 
system of public instruction, with the University at its head, which 
is the glory of the Peninsular State. 

Previous to 1835, eight Churches were organized, which never 
relinquished the Congregational polity, nor lost the Congregational 
name, viz : The Church in Rochester was formed in July 1st, 1827 ; 
in Romeo, August 16th, 1829; in Lima (now extinct), January 17th, 
1830; in Pontiac, February 6th, 1831 ; in Clinton, January 19th, 
1833; in Bruce, July 31st, 1833; in Barry (now extinct), January, 

1834. 

These Churches, however, either stood alone or were connected 
with a Presbytery ; and therefore were not reckoned as belonging to 
the denomination, until after 1840, when the first Association and 
Conference were formed in the eastern part of the State. In addi- 
tion to these, the Churches of Marshall, Homer, Richland and 
Ypsilanti (1829), were organized Congregational, and remained so 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 425 

until, through the pressure of outside influence, they became dis- 
tinctively Presbyterian. The Church of Battle Creek (1836) was 
also organized on the " Plan of Union," and retained that status, 
reporting alike to Synod and Association, until, in 1874, by the com- 
pact of Union adopted by the General Assemblies of the Presby- 
terian Church, it was obliged to relinquish its mixed character, when 
it elected to be numbered with the Presbyterians. 

From 1835 to 1840, nineteen other Churches were formed, 
which still retain their connection with the denomination. But these 
Churches, like those already on the field, were of a limited member- 
ship, and widely scattered over a vast extent of country; thus 
rendering fellowship, if not absolutely impossible, yet extremely 
difficult. But they were firm in their adherence to the simple polity 
of the Pilgrims, and manfully resisted any attempt to wrest from 
them the liberty which we have in Christ Jesus our Lord. 

About this time the inquiry began to be agitated, " What can be 
done to draw the scattered Churches closer together in sympathy 
and fellowship?" and thus to establish them all the more firmly in the 
ways and practices of the Fathers. As the result of this inquiry, the 
Eastern Association was formed May 12th, 1840, and the Jackson 
Association May 17th, 1842. In the eastern part of the State, an 
organization called the Consociation, which afterwards took the name 
of the Eastern Conference of the Churches, was also formed. 

In the meantime several young men, among whom was Rev. L. 
Smith Hobart, Rev. Harvey Hyde, Rev. Henry L. Hammond, and 
Rev. Thomas Jones, had come into the State, by whom this inquiry 
was taken up, and zealously agitated, until finally, at a meeting of the 
Jackson Association, held on the 6th of July, 1842, a call was issued 
inviting the Congregational ministers and Churches of Michigan to 
convene at Jackson, on Tuesday, the nth of October, at six 
o'clock p. m., for the purpose of organizing a General Association 
of the State. In response to this call, at the time and place ap- 
pointed, there were assembled the following ministers and delegates 
of the Churches : 

Ministers. — Rev, Sylvester Cochrane, Vermontville ; Rev. 
Hiram S. Hamilton, Mt. Clemens ; Rev. Marcus Harrison, Jackson ; 
Rev. L. Smith Hobart, Union City ; Rev. Harvey Hyde, Saginaw ; 
Rev. Thomas Jones, Grass Lake ; Rev. Jason Park, Sandstone ; 
Rev. Ebenezer McDonald, Royal Oak ; Rev. Joseph W. Smith, 
Grand Blanc ; Rev. John D. Pierce, Marshall. 

Delegates from Chttrches. — A. S. Ames, Milford ; Chester Yale, 
Jackson; E. C. Clapp, Litchfield; Jacob Hayward, Leoni ; Drusus 



426 HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

Hodges, Leoni ; Jesse Adams, Grass Lake ; L. H. Jones, Grass 
Lake ; Stephen Watkins, Grass Lake ; Alpheus Saunders, Union 
City; John N. Stickney, Union City. 

After mature deliberation and prayer, these ministers and mes- 
sengers of the Churches adopted a Confession of Faith, Constitu- 
tion, and Rules of Procedure, and thus the General Association of 
Michigan was fairly ushered into being. From that time to the 
present, the denomination has had a recognized existence among 
the forces which have been at work in moulding the moral and 
religious condition of the State, with a history growing brighter and 
still brighter as the years have rolled on. 

Just how many Churches of this order there were in the State 
at this time, and how many members they contained, it is now im- 
possible to ascertain. Some attempts at the gathering of statistics 
were at once made by the indefatigable Secretary, Rev. L. Smith 
Hobart, but they were not very successful. In 1845 there were 
reported in connection with the General Association, five (5) Confer- 
ences, consisting of fifty- three (53) Churches, with a membership of 
two thousand one hundred and fourteen (2,114). But seven of these 
Churches, it should be observed, furnished no report. 

In 1855, the number of Conferences had increased to seven (7), 
with a total of one hundred and six (106) Churches, seventy-two (72) 
ministers, and four thousand nine hundred and eighty-seven (4,987) 
members. 

In i860 the number of Conferences remained the same, but the 
number of the Churches increased to one hundred and thirty (130), 
of the ministers to one hundred and one (101), and of the members 
to seven thousand two hundred and fifty-five (7,255). 

In 1865 there were nine (9) Conferences with one hundred and 
forty-one (141) Churches, one hundred and thirty-one (131) minis- 
ters, and eight thousand three hundred and seventy-two (8,372) 
members. 

In 1870 there were still nine (9) Conferences, one hundred and 
seventy-four (174) Churches, one hundred and fifty-one (151) minis- 
ters, and eleven thousand fivQ hundred and forty-one (11,541) 
members. 

In 1875 the Conferences had increased to ten (10), the minis- 
ters to one hundred and seventy-four (174), the Churches to one 
hundred and ninety-nine (199), and the members to thirteen thou- 
sand two hundred and nine (13,209). 

It is but quite recently that attempts have been made to ascer- 
tain the amount of annual offerings made by these Churches to the 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 427 

various causes of benevolence, and the reports are as yet very im- 
perfect. But imperfect as they are, the reports of 1875 present an 
array of figures which, considering the infancy and weakness of 
most of these Churches, evinces that the spirit of benevolence is by 
no means wanting within them. These figures aggregate the sum 
of twenty-four thousand four hundred and ten dollars, and ninety- 
three cents ($24,410.93), while the amount expended for parish pur- 
poses during the same year was two hundred and twenty-three 
thousand two hundred and ninety-one dollars and eighty-seven 
•cents ($223,291.87). 

The estimated value of property held by them is : 

1. Houses of worship — Nine hundred and ninety-four thou- 
sand, seven hundred and thirty-three dollars ($994,733).* 

2. Parsonages — Sixty-one thousand dollars ($61,000). 

3. Salaries and funds — Fifteen thousand one hundred and 
ninety dollars ($15,190). 

The Sunday School work has been prosecuted by them, durtng 
their entire history, with unabated vigor. Without attempting to 
trace the progress of thi,s work from one period to another, it will 
be sufficient to state that, according to the report of 1875, the 
schools connected with the denomination aggregated sixteen thou- 
sand eight hundred and sixty (16,860) members. 

Congregationalism has ever been but a synonym of education. 
In its history, the church and the school-house have always stood side 
by side, the one esteemed quite as necessary as the other. With it 
the old monkish dogma, that ignorance is the mother of devotion, 
has found no favor. Its piety has rather been wont to be measured 
by the intelligence of its faith. An educated ministry in the pulpit, 
and an enlightened people in the pews, are the two great pillars on 
which it has been built, and on which alone it can hope to stand. As 
a consequence, wherever it has obtained a footing, it has become the 
advocate and promoter of all sorts of learning. In this State, it has 
been by no means false to its traditional character. From its min- 
istry the first Superintendent of Public Instruction was furnished. 
And in the successful establishment of a Christian College at Olivet, 
and the endowment of a Professorship in the Theological Seminary 
at Chicago, it has fully vindicated its ancient promise. 

These plain facts have been placed on record, in this Centennial 
year of our National existence, that it may be known to those who 
come after us, from what small beginning, and through what earnest 
struggles, this glorious inheritance of a simple, Scriptural Church 

*Sincethe above was written, $20,500 have been reported, making the whole value of Church property reported, 

$1,015,233. 



428 HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

polity, received from the Pilgrim Fathers, has been handed down to 
them. 

We have already noticed the work among the Indians of the 
Lake Superior country, but it is well now to bestow a little attention 
on that work in the Lower Peninsula, as the circumstances of its 
introduction were peculiarly interesting. It commenced among a 
band, residing at the time in Oakland County, which was known as 
the Lakeville band. They had become as degraded as it is possible 
for human beings to become, it would seem. They were the terror 
of the country around them — drunken, thieving and quarrelsome to 
the last degree. In the spring of 1840 or '41, they held a solemn 
council to decide on their fate. They felt their degradation most 
keenly, but they saw no light for themselves. In this solemn con- 
clave, they discussed their condition ; that they were in a very low 
condition, they could not deny. But what was to be done? After 
spending some time over the question, there appeared to be no 
hope for them, and the conclusion at which they arrived was that 
there was nothing better for them than to procure whisky enough, 
and drink themselves to death. In accordance with this resolution, 
they procured a quantity of whisky, and commenced the debauch. 
Just at this juncture, Rev Mr. Scott, a missionary among the Indians 
in Canada, near Sarnia, appeared on the scene, and proposed to the 
Chief to preach the Gospel to them. But the men were too drunk 
to hear him then. The Chief begged of the missionary to remain, 
and he would try to get his men and women sober enough, in the 
course of a day or two, to hear him. He remained. The Chief did 
as he proposed ; they came to hear the missionary, and the Gospel 
took such effect upon them that every man and woman, except one 
man, in a few days, professed to be converted, and the remaining 
one, after a time, was converted, and joined the Church. This was 
a very sudden transformation of a drunken, savage band into a 
Christian people. They adhered firmly and faithfully to their faith 
in Christ, and became a sober and orderly people. They required 
attention and instruction, so a missionary was sent among them, and 
the work extended to other bands in the Lower Peninsula. Rev. D. 
C. Jacokes was, for some time, a very laborious and successful 
worker among them. He was succeeded in that work by Rev. 
Manasseh Hickey, who visited most of the bands ; so the work has 
been cared for, and there are now several of these Mission charges 
in the Lower Peninsula. Who can doubt the power of Divine grace 
to change and save man when such a revolution as this has been 
produced ? No merely civilizing agency has ever accomplished such 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 429 

a work as this. There has been but very little backsliding among 
them. 

These Indians, after their conversion, having declined to go 
west of the Mississippi, and thus failed to obtain annuities which 
would have amounted to several hundred dollars, they were very 
poor. We once asked the Chief why he did not go, and take his 
band with him. He replied that he was afraid to go, lest, getting 
off there among the wicked pagans, and away from the means of 
grace, his men would be led away — would backslide, and be lost; 
and they would rather be without the money than to run the risk. 
We thought that was a noble sacrifice. How very few, even among 
enlightened people, are willing to make such a sacrifice for the sake 
of being preserved from sin. 

We take great pleasure in adding a few words in regard to one 
of the two missionaries mentioned above. As he is still living, the 
notice will be but: brief. 

Rev. Manasseh Hickey was converted to God in his early 
youth in the town of Troy, in Oakland County, Michigan, and, from 
the time of his conversion, has been a very earnest and zealous 
Christian. Soon after his conversion, he felt himself called to the 
work of the Christian ministry. He felt, also, the need of a higher 
education, and spent several years at Albion Seminary in study, 
acquiring a considerable knowledge of the classics and of Hebrew. 
While a student at Albion, his zeal did not abate, and he was very 
useful among the students, as well as in the neghborhoods around 
about. He joined the Conference in 1848, and was for several 
years in the Indian mission work. He has been very useful in the 
ministry, and many have been turned to righteousness by him, who 
will appear as stars in the crown of his rejoicing. He has filled 
Circuits, Stations and Districts greatly to the advantage and edifica- 
tion of the Church. In the winter of 1872, while Presiding Elder 
of Flint District, he was thrown from a carriage, striking on his 
head on the frozen ground, and was senseless for twenty-four hours. 
Though he has partially recovered, he has been a great sufferer 
ever since, and unable to do effective labor. His heart is still in the 
work, and, if his physical condition would allow, he would still glory 
in active itinerant labor. 

We will be pardoned for quoting the following from an article 
from the pen of Rev. C. H. Brigham, a Unitarian minister, formerly 
at Ann Arbor, contributed to an Eastern paper in 1866: 

" The Methodists are the only denomination in Michigan whose 
increase is very marked and rapid. The Presbyterians rather lose 



43° HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

than gain ground. The Baptists barely hold their own. The Con- 
gregationalists do not grow so fast as the population. The Episco- 
pal Church is suffering just now from an unfortunate quarrel in its 
largest congregation, in which the Bishop is implicated, and which 
makes ridiculous the boasted unity of that peaceful communion. 
But the Methodists are zealous, united, hopeful and prosperous, to 
a degree which amazes even their own preachers and leaders. They 
rival, even surpass the Episcopal body in the size and cost of their 
churches, in the richness of their decorations, and in the complete- 
ness of their appointments. In a short time they will have, in all 
the cities of Michigan, not only the largest number of worshipers, 
but the finest show in worship, and, perhaps, the most real .influence. 
Church extension, more than Church discipline or dogma, is their 
care in this Centenary year. And it is a great help to their cause 
that one of their preachers is at the head of the University." 

At the General Conference of 1864, which was held in Phila- 
delphia, provisions were made by which the agents of the Western 
Book Concern could establish a Depository in Detroit, so that our 
ministers and people could be supplied with Methodist and other 
religious books at the same rate as in New York or Chicago. 

Rev. John M. Arnold, D. D., who had been stationed in the 
Woodward Avenue and other Churches in the city, was appointed 
in charge of it. The establishment has been greatly enlarged, and 
the business greatly extended, and though it is not now an official 
Depository of the Church, the same advantages are to be obtained 
from Arnold & Willyoung, as the firm is now styled. This having 
been found a great convenience to Sabbath Schools and others who 
wished to replenish their libraries, Mr. Arnold enlarged the idea, 
and extended the plan so as to take in religious and Sunday School 
books for all denominations of Protestants. He has now added to 
this a general assortment of school, literary, historical and scientific 
books. 

Mr. Arnold is a minister of long standing, having joined the 
Conference in 1849, an d served as Circuit preacher, been in Stations 
and fulfilled the work of a Presiding Elder. Though charged 
with many duties, he does a large amount of preaching. He is em- 
phatically a Michigan man, having been brought up, educated, con- 
verted to the experience of Divine love, and entered the Christian 
ministry here. His is one of the cases, where men break away from 
their parental religious or rather denominational training, for his 
parents were " Close Communion " Baptists. Mr. Arnold takes special 
interest in the Sunday School department of Christian work, and 






? c^/^^^^^^ 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 433 

has been very successful in that field. Mr. Arnold is a man of ex- 
tensive reading and good literary acquirements, and is often called 
on to fill the pulpits of other denominations. For the last two years 
he has been the associate and managing editor of the Michigan 
Christian Advocate. Indeed, he has had the principal part of the 
work of that paper on his hands, as the editor-in-chief was a pastor, 
and had a heavy charge to serve, which demanded his time and at- 
tention. 

THE MICHIGAN CHRISTIAN AD VO CA TE. 

The importance of a religious newspaper under the fostering 
care of the Methodist Church, in this State, which, while it should 
be Methodistic in its management, and devoted to the interests of 
that denomination, would not be offensively sectarian, had long been 
felt. But no one was prepared to undertake its establishment. 
Some efforts had been made from time to time to organize a com- 
pany for that purpose, without success. But in the autumn of 1874, 
Rev. Oren Whitmore who was Presiding Elder of Adrian District, 
commenced the publication of a small monthly sheet, for the special 
benefit of his own District, the idea of which was enlarged by the 
co-operation of other Districts, and it assumed the name of the 
Michigan Christian Advocate. This was not entirely new, for Rev. 
J. V. Watson, many years before, had edited and published a paper 
by the same name, for a short time, at Adrian. As the small sheet 
originated by Mr. Whitmore did not seem to meet the felt want, the 
matter was brought before the Annual Conference, which, by a de- 
cided vote recommended the publication of a weekly paper. This, 
however, did not meet the difficulty in the case, for, who shall do It, 
was the ever recurring question. After many conferences of minis- 
ters and laymen, a stock company was organized according to the 
following articles of association : 

THE METHODIST PUBLISHING COMPANY. 

We, the undersigned, do certify that we do hereby associate to- 
gether as a body corporate, under and by virtue of the laws of the 
State of Michigan, in the manner and for purposes as follows, that 
is to say : 

1 st. The name of this Association is The Methodist Publishing 
Company, and the purpose for which it is organized is to print and 
publish a religious newspaper entitled the Michigan Christian Advo- 
cate, and to carry on the business of book and job printing, in con- 



434 HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN, 

nection therewith, and the publication of such other matter as may 
be decided upon by said corporation. 

.2nd. The location and place of business of said Company is at 
the City of Detroit. 

3rd. The amount of Capital Stock of this Company is ten 
thousand dollars, divided into one hundred shares of one hundred 
dollars each. 

4th. The amount of property, real and personal, which said 
Company may hold, shall not exceed fifty thousand dollars. 

5th. The first meeting of this Corporation, for the purpose of 
completing- the organization of the same, the election of officers and 
the transaction of any other business, shall be held on the twenty- 
third day of December, A. D. 1874, at 2 o'clock p. m., at the office 
of Robinson & Flinn, in the City of Detroit. 

6th. The names of the Stockholders, with their respective resi- 
dences, and the number of shares held by each, are as follows, viz : 



Names. 
Oren Whitmore 


Residences. 
. Adrian 




No. of Shares. 
5 


Alfred F. Bournes 


a 


. 5 


Oren Whitmore 

John M. Arnold 

George 0. Robinson 


Detroit 


5 

11 

5 


Mark S. Smith 

Christopher R. Mabley 

Lewis R. Fiske 

Francis A. Blades , 

Thomas Stalker . 


a 
a 
ti 
ft 

a 


5 

5 

3 

2 

2 


W. H. Pearce 

Dr. James Stimson 


a 

it 


1 

1 


Lewis P. Davis 

Elijah H. Pilcher 

John W. Kermott 

Erasmus D. Allen 

George W. Robinson 

Charles Ten Winkel 

"William H. Benton 

William H. Shier 

0. J. Perrin 

Isaac N. Ellwood 


u 
(( 
a 

Morenci 

Detroit , 

Royal Oak 

Ann Arbor 

Saginaw City , 

Morenci. 


1 

2 

2 

30 

1 

5 

1 

1 

1 

1 


J. B. Atchinson . . 


Detroit.* 




1 


J. T. R. Brown 


tt 




2 


J. Owen 


n 




2 


Wm. J. McCune 


tt 


„. 3 


H. Hitchcock , 


it 




1 


Charles H. Gaston 


n 


1 


7th. The term of the 
years. 


existence of this 


Corporation is thirty 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 435 

In testimony whereof, we have hereunto set our hands and seals, this 
twenty-second day of December, A. D. 1874. 



Signed) 


Oren Whitmore, 


rSeal.] 


a 


J. M.Arnold, 


[Seal.] 


a 


Alfred F. Bournes, 


[Seal.] 


a 


Geo. 0. Robinson, 


[Seal.] 


it 


Charles Ten Winkel, 


[Seal.] 


it 


H. Hitchcock, 


[Seal.] 


(( 


W. J. McCune, 


[Seal ] 


a 


Lewis R. Fiske, 


[Seal ] 


(t 


C. R. Mabley, 


[Seal] 


<< 


Webster H. Pearce 


[Seal.] 


it 


Elijah H. Pilcher, 


[Seal.] 


it 


J. W. Kermott, 


[Seal.] 


a 


Erasmus D. Allen, 


[Seal.] 


<< 


M. S. Smith, 


[Seal.] 


tt 


W. H. Benton, 


[Seal.] 


(( 


0. B. Atchinson, 


[Seal.] 


tt 


J. T. R. Brown, 


[Seal.] 


it 


J. Owen, 


[Seal.] 


i< 


F. A. Blades, 


[Seal] 


State of Michigan, ) 
County of Wayne, j ' 











On the twenty-second day of December A. D. 1874, personally 
appeared before me, a Notary Public in and for said county, the 
above named : Oren Whitmore, John M. Arnold, Alfred F. Bournes, 
George O. Robinson, Charles Ten Winkel, Lewis R. Fiske, C. R. 
Mabley, Webster H. Pearce, Elijah H. Pilcher, J. W. Kermott, Eras- 
mus D. Allen, and M. S. Smith, personally known to me as the per- 
sons executing the foregoing instrument, and severally acknowledged 
that they executed the same freely, for the purposes therein named. 
[seal] ' E. H. FLINN, 

Notary Public, Wayne Co., Mich. 

The following officers were immediately elected: Elijah 
H. Pilcher, D. D., President ; John M. Arnold, D. D., Vice Presi- 
dent ; George O. Robinson Esq., Secretary and Treasurer. Rev. O. 
Whitmore, was appointed Editor, and Rev. L. R. Fiske, D. D., was 
shortly after added to the editorial staff. The first number of the 
new paper with the old name was issued the first week in January, 
1875. Since its first organization a number of changes, both in the 
Publishing Company and in the management of the paper, have been 
made. The job printing department has been given up entirely, 
the whole attention being devoted to the extension and the improve- 
ment of the paper. Dr. Pilcher having resigned, Dr. Fiske was 
elected President and also Editor-in-Chief^ with Dr. J. M. Arnold as 



436 HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

Associate and Business Manager. The editorial staff was made 
still more effective by the appointment of a number of correspond- 
ing editors, from various parts of the State, and the creation of an 
office-editorship, of which the Rev. J. H. Potts is the present incum- 
bent. This new enterprise, which was looked upon by many as a 
doubtful experiment, has so well succeeded that it has already at- 
tained a circulation of over five thousand copies, and the last year 
yielded a handsome dividend on its paid up stock, and paid twenty- 
five dollars to each of the annual Conferences in the State, for the 
benefit of the superannuated preachers. This success is unparalelled 
in the history of such enterprises. This patronage has been se- 
cured without interfering materially with the circulation of other re- 
ligious periodicals. Very nearly that number of families have a re- 
ligious paper, who would have had none without it. If the future 
management shall be equal to the past, there remains a brilliant 
career for this young member of the Advocate family. 

The Northwestern Christian Advocate, although not located in 
Michigan, is, nevertheless, the product of Michigan brains. Rev. J. 
V. Watson, an eloquent and successful preacher, laid aside by 
physical infirmity, from the active work of the ministry, was not 
content to be idle. He, therefore, applied himself to religious jour- 
nalism, on a small scale, in the City of Adrian. But, being a man 
of a large heart and sagacity of intellect, he decided that this was 
not the locality at which a journal should exist to wield the proper 
influence. In casting about, he concluded Chicago was the eye of 
the Northwest, and that, in order to control that vast territory, the 
key to it must be in that city. He, therefore, proposed that the 
General Conference of 1852, which was to meet in Boston, should 
provide for the establishment of a member of the Advocate family 
at that place. He was in attendance at the seat of the Conference, 
but, being a reserve, he took a seat before the close, and urged the 
matter in private conversation with delegates, being actively second- 
ed by E. H. Pilcher, who was a delegate. Provision was then made 
for the establishment at Chicago of a depository for books, and for 
the publication of such a paper under the control of the Western 
Book Concern. Mr. Watson was appointed Editor of the paper, and 
the publication was commenced on the 1st of January, 1853. This 
paper has been very largely patronized in Michigan, though not so 
much so as its merits have deserved. For the last thirteen years, a 
member of the Detroit Conference has been connected with the edi- 
torial department of the paper, and that justifies its introduction 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 437 

into this History; besides, it has always been outspoken on all ques- 
tions affecting the interests of Protestantism, and has been a powerful 
agent for its promotion in this Peninsula. 

Arthur Edwards, D. D., the present able and deservedly 
popular Editor of the Northwestern Christian Advocate, was born in 
Ohio, in 1834, but is, decidedly, a Michigan man. He was brought 
up here, though he received his collegiate education at the Ohio 
Wesleyan University, under the care of the sainted Bishop Edward 
Thompson. While pursuing his college studies, he was converted 
to God, and joined the Church. Soon after graduation, he entered 
the ministry, and joined the Detroit Conference in 1858. When the 
War of the Rebellion broke out, his patriotism led him to enter the 
service as chaplain, in which he continued for about three years, 
and in 1864 he was appointed Associate Editor of this paper, in which 
relation he continued for eight years, doing excellent service. In 
1872, he was elected Editor by a large majority, and in 1876 was re- 
elected by acclamation. Dr. Edwards is an incisive, facile writer, 
and thoroughly adapted to editorial work — a man of untiring industry, 
possessing iron-like endurance. He makes a superior paper, and 
one well worthy of a more extended patronage than it now has. He 
has served for a number of years with great acceptability as Secre- 
tary of the Detroit Conference, and has been sent as a delegate to 
the General Conference several times. 

BAY VIEW. 

With the growth of the country and the increase of wealth 
among the people, there is an increasing desire for some place of 
resort for the heated term, and yet it is desirable to have such places 
as free as possible from the allurements to vice and folly usually found 
at watering-places. At the suggestion of Mr. S. O. Knapp, seconded 
by Rev. J. H. McCarty, D. D., the Annual Conferences of the Method- 
ist Episcopal Church in Michigan, at their session in 1875, appointed 
a committee, consisting of the following persons: Rev. E. H. Pilcher, 
D. D., Rev. Seth Reed, Rev. Robert Bird, and David Preston, for the 
Detroit Conference; Rev. J. H. McCarty, D. D., Rev. W. H. Brock- 
way, Rev. A. P. Moors, and S. O. Knapp for the Michigan Confer- 
ence; with full powers to investigate and settle the question in regard 
to such a place of resort within the State. This committee organized, 
and examined the various localities suggested. After such examina- 
tion, they became satisfied that the project was feasible, and, on the 
ninth day of November of that year, effected an incorporation, under 
the statutes of the State, by adopting the following articles : 



438 HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

Articles of Association of the Michigan Camp- Ground Association of the Methodist 
Episcopal Church: 

State of Michigan, "I 
County of Jackson, / ^ 

We, the undersigned, do hereby certify that we desire and 
agree to form an incorporated Association, pursuant to an act of the 
Legislature of the State of Michigan, entitled, "An Act to provide 
for the incorporation of Associations, Conventions, Conferences of 
religious bodies for literary, religious, or other benevolent purposes. 
Approved March 27th, A. D. 1867," and amended by "An Act, 
approved February 2d, 1875," under the name of "The Michigan 
Camp-Ground Association of the Methodist Episcopal Church," and 
do adopt the following articles of Association : 

First. The purposes for which this Association is formed are 
the securing, developing, establishing and maintaining, within the 
State of Michigan, grounds for an annual Camp Meeting and sum- 
mer residences ; for holding Camp Meetings and religious services 
in connection with summer residences, and for the transaction of all 
business in connection therewith. 

Second. The principal office for the transaction of business, 
and at which the annual meetings shall be held, shall be on the 
camp ground, unless otherwise directed, or at such other place or 
places as the Association or the Board of Trustees may from time 
to time direct, except as to the annual meeting, which shall be on the 
camp grounds. 

Third. The business of this Association, in the intervals of the 
meetings of the Association, shall be conducted by a Board of nine 
Trustees, and Joseph H. McCarty, of Jackson, Elijah H. Pilcher, 
of Detroit, William H. Brockway, of Albion, Seth Reed, of Ann 
Arbor, Aaron P. Moors, of Traverse City, Robert Bird, of Roches- 
ter, Samuel O. Knapp, of Jackson, David Preston, of Detroit, and 
D. Burnham Tracy, of Detroit, shall constitute the first Board of 
Trustees, and are divided into three classes, in the order in which 
their names appear above ; the first class to continue in office for 
three years, the second class for two years, the the third class for 
one year, or until their successors are elected and accept their trust, 
so that one-third will go out of office each year. The full term of 
office shall be for three years ; and the election shall be by ballot at 
the annual meeting, as fixed by the By-Laws : Provided, always, that 
said Trustees shall be members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, 
and a cessation of membership shall vacate the office. 





j^^/ LA^yy #>/£ 






/^'Jf^t^yy^ ^4=^*- 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 



441 



IS} 



In testimony whereof, we have hereunto set our hands, this ninth 
day of November, A. D. 1875. 

Joseph H. McCarty, 
Elijah H. Pilcher, 
W. H. Brockway, 
Seth Reed, 
Aaron P. Moors, 
Samuel O. Knapp, 
David Preston, 
D. Burnham Tracy, 
John Wesley Kermott, 
John M. Arnold, 
Silas Heyser, 
James Gould, 
J. Henry Pilcher, 
Geo. O. Robinson. 

Petoskey, at the head of Little Traverse Bay, was selected as 
the place. Over three hundred acres of land, about one mile from 
the village, were donated, and the first Camp Meeting was held in 
the first week in August, 1866. The place has been named Bay 
View. We here present the latest circular of the Association, which 
will furnish a clear view of the objects and conditions of the Associ- 
ation. 

" BAY VIEW CAMP GROUND. 

" Officers of the Association. — Rev. W. H. Brockway, President ; 
Rev. J. M. Arnold, First Vice President; William Phelps, Second 
Vice President ; Rev. R. N. McKaig, Third Vice President ; Rev. 
Seth Reed, Secretary ; David Preston, Treasurer. 

" Trustees. — D. F. Barnes, Grand Rapids; E. H. Pilcher, Detroit; 
William H. Brockway, Albion; S. Reed, Ann Arbor; A. P. Moors, 
Traverse City; R. Bird, Petoskey; S. O. Knapp, Jackson; 
David Preston, Detroit; D. B. Tracy, Detroit. 

" The Trustees of the Michigan Camp Ground Association of 
the Methodist Episcopal Church are now ready to offer to the 
public a resort which, it is believed, cannot be surpassed for health- 
fulness, accessibility, picturesqueness of scenery and inexpensive- 
ness, anywhere in our country. They ask attention to the following 
points: 

" Location. — Bay View Camp Ground is situated at the head of 
Little Traverse Bay, and one mile north of the growing village of 
Petoskey. Being alike accessable to the Upper and Lower Peninsula, 



442 HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

it is in all respects a most desirable point for a summer city. The 
land owned by the Association lies on the southeast side of the Bay. 
It rises in natural terraces, thus affording any number of most desi- 
rable building sites. From these sites a delightful view is had of the 
lovely Bay as well as of the great Lake Michigan, upon whose 
waters the vessels of commerce can be seen plying between Chica- 
go and the great Eastern cities. The ground has about one mile of 
Bay front, along which runs a gravelly beach, admirably adapted for 
drives and walks. 

" Bay View is in the Mackinaw region of country, being about 
twenty-five miles from the Straits and Island of Mackinaw. A 
steamer usually plies daily between the Island and Petoskey, and 
hence it is in a region which must ever be an attractive summer re- 
sort for the great Northwest. 

" Health. — The Little Traverse region is known to be a Sanitari- 
um for hay fever, asthma and catarrhal affections. Bilious diseases 
and fever and ague are positively unknown here. The climate is 
remarkably invigorating, just such as thousands of enfeebled consti- 
tutions and other thousands of strong but over-worked men and 
women need during the hot months of summer. The air is free from 
all malaria, as it comes sweeping across a hundred miles or more of 
fresh water from the west and northwest. The water is remarkably 
clear, and pure as can be found anywhere in the world. The Trav- 
erse region is not mountainous, yet somewhat broken and varied, 
and the scenery is very attractive. In short, the acknowledged health- 
fulness of this point was one of the strong reasons, in addition to its 
other natural attractions, for its selection as a place of summer resi- 
dence and religious convocations. Indeed, we are highly pleased 
that we can now invite the people of the Northwest to a Sanitarium 
equal, if not superior, to those sought at much greater expense along 
the Atlantic coast. 

"Recreation. — Bay View Camp Ground is surrounded by facilities 
for recreation which are simply endless. In its vicinity are several 
large inland lakes, some of them from twelve to fifteen miles in 
length and from five to seven in width, and which abound in a great 
variety of fish, such as rock bass, black bass, pickerel, perch and 
white fish. The streams flowing into the lakes abound with the 
much coveted speckled trout and grayling. That Little Traverse 
Bay, from which the views are so enchanting, whether seen in the 
morning or evening sun, will always invite the lovers of the sail and 
the oar. Those large, almost unbroken forests, that stretch away 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 443 

for many miles, abounding in game, both of the foot and wing, will 
afford ample enjoyment to gentlemen who love the rifle. 

" Tourists, too, will here find satisfaction. A great variety of at- 
tractive routes will invite them from this point. At Petoskey they 
can take a steamer north for Mackinaw, Marquette, and the Lake 
Superior ports ; or east for Cheboygan, Saginaw and Detroit ; or 
south and west for Traverse City, Ludington, Grand Rapids, Chica- 
go and intermediate ports. At Bay View Station they can take train 
on the Grand Rapids & Indiana Road southwest to the Grand 
Traverse country, which abounds in attractive features ; or south to 
Reed City, where they may take the Flint and Pere Marquette 
Road either east or west ; or still south to Howard City, where they 
can take the Detroit, Lansing & Northern Road to Lansing and 
Detroit ; or still further south to Grand Rapids, where so many lines 
center tending to all parts of the country. 

"A more enjoyable trip, however, will doubtless be to leave 
the Camp Ground by stage, four miles to Crooked Lake, thence by 
steamer through Crooked Lake, Burt Lake, Indian River, Mullet 
Lake, Cheboygan River to Cheboygan, a distance of about forty 
miles from Bay View. This route has been opened through since 
the location of the ground. At no distant day it will probably be 
intersected by the Jackson, Lansing & Saginaw Road, whose north- 
ern terminus is now at Gaylord, but whose ultimate destination is 
Mackinaw. Thus it will be seen that Bay View has a liberal list of 
attractions to the pleasure-seeking tourist. 

" Arrangements. — The Association has a warranty deed of 330 
acres of land, covered with a thrifty growth of hard timber, both 
great and small, and on which is a fine stream of beautiful water, 
which can be brought into use for drinking and other purposes. A 
portion only of this land has as yet been platted, but the platting 
has been done in the line of a general plan which shall ultimately 
•embrace the entire grove. The streets and avenues will be wide 
and the lots ample, averaging about one hundred by fifty feet. The 
lots will be leased to parties for the purpose of erecting cottages 
thereon, the lease to run fifteen years with privilege of renewal, and 
subject to an annual rental, at prices varying according to location, 
for the first five years from two to ten dollars. Every person leasing 
a lot with the view of erecting a cottage will be required to join the 
Association, the fee for life membership in which is ten dollars. Those 
who do not wish a voice in the Association, but wish simply a lot for 
the year, can be accommodated upon their paying the assessment 
of from two to ten dollars, according to location. A committee 



444 HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 

will also designate places for those who wish merely a spot for the 
year on which to erect a cloth tent, where the price will be merely 
nominal. 

" Cottages and Tents. — Bay View has the advantages of being 
in a country where timber is plentiful and cheap. Manufacturing 
companies in that vicinity have advised the Association that they 
will furnish lumber of all kinds, both rough and dressed, for Camp 
Meeting purposes, at the lowest possible figures. Their mills have 
facilities for all kinds of work, and it is surprising to many how 
cheap cottages may be built. Information upon the subject of 
building will be furnished by Rev. R. Bird, of Petoskey, or S. O. 
Knapp, Esq., of Jackson, Michigan. Those who wish to rent tents 
for the season will confer with Colonel William Phelps, of Detroit. 

"Entertainment. — The Association contracted for a boarding- 
house to be built upon the ground, and which was finished in the 
month of July, 1877. It was first made two stories high and 25 by 
75 feet on the ground, but constructed with reference to additions, 
as the demands should increase, some of which have recently been 
made. Its site commands one of the finest views of the water to 
be had upon the entire ground. In this hall, good day board is 
furnished at the following rates: $5.00 per week; $1.00 per day; 
50 cents for single meals. 

"Good hotel accommodations will also be found in the village 
of Petoskey, at reasonable rates. 

" Lodgings will also be furnished for those who do not occupy 
cottages. But the lodgings provided by the Association for the 
present year will consist simply of bunks and straw. Persons ex- 
pecting to lodge on the ground, should bring blankets and pillows 
with them. 

"Limits. — The Bay View Camp Meeting for 1877 will com- 
mence Tuesday, July 31st, and will continue one week. It will be in 
charge of the Committee on Worship, viz : Rev. D. F. Barnes, Rev. 
A. P. Moors, Rev. W. H. Shier. 

"A Sunday School Congress will be held on the Bay View 
Camp Ground, commencing July 24th, and continuing one week. To 
this all Sunday School workers are cordially invited, irrespective of 
denominations. It is in charge of the following general committee: 
Rev. I. N. Elwood, Port Huron ; Rev. J. B. Atchinson, Detroit ; Rev. 
W.W.Washburn, Detroit; Hon. C. R. Brown, Port Huron; Mr. 
H. Hitchcock, Detroit; Rev. H. M. Joy, Niles ; Rev. W. J. Aldrich, 
Jackson ; Rev. Levi Tarr, Big Rapids ; Mr. J. S. Tuttle, Niles ; Mr. 
J. H. Pilcher, Jackson. 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 445 

" Transportation. — All persons desirous of attending the Sunday 
School Congress and State Camp Meeting at Bay View can do so 
at one fare for the round trip by going over any of the following 
lines of railway, viz: Grand Rapids & Indiana; Cincinnati, Hamilton 
& Dayton ; Wabash (all points between Toledo and Lafayette) ; 
Indianapolis, Pennsylvania & Chicago, (from Indianapolis) ; Pitts- 
burgh, Fort Wayne & Chicago (from local points in Indiana) ; Michi- 
gan Central and all its branches (from all points east of and including 
Niles, also from Chicago); Detroit, Lansing & Northern; Detroit & 
Milwaukee; Flint & Pere Marquette; Chicago & Lake Huron. 

"Tickets will be on sale at their respective offices from July 2 2d 
to August 5th, inclusive. Return limit, August 15th. 

"The Grand Rapids & Indiana, Detroit, Lansing & Northern, 
Detroit & Milwaukee, Flint & Pere Marquette, (and probably other 
connecting lines), will also give the following reduced rates, viz: 
two cents per mile each way, from June 15th to August 30th, with 
return limit, August 31st. This class of tickets may be extended a 
few days if necessary. 

"Close connections will be made at Richmond, Fort Wayne, 
Kendallville, Sturgis, Kalamazoo, Grand Rapids, Howard City and 
Reed City. 

"Two trains daily (except Sunday) will run between Cincinnati 
and Petoskey (Bay View Station). Sleeping coaches on night trains." 



ERRATA.— °n page 398, line 18 from the top, the word "not" should be left out. Also 
on same page, line 18 from bottom, in place of the words "ten cents" should be 
" one o'clock." 
—On page 413, line 9 from bottom, " Niagara" should be "Allegan." 
—On page 416, line 4 from bottom should read "finest fruit growing ones," etc. 



ALPHABETICAL AND CHRONOLOGICAL LIST 



OF THE 



ITINERANT PREACHERS 

Who have ever been entrusted with work in Michigan ; beginning" 

with 1 809, when Detroit first appears in the List, 

and ending with 1877. 



EXPLANATION. 



The figures on the left hand of the name show the date when he became connected with 
the Itinerant work in Michigan, and the figures on the right hand show the time when the con- 
nection ceased ; the letter "I" means that he located or retired from the work ; " d" that he died ; 
"tr" that he was transferred to some other field ; "10" that he withdrew from the ministry and 
Church. A short location is not regarded, nor a short absence from the State; "ex" means ex- 
pelled from the connection. We have taken great pains to have this list accurate, and yet there 
will probably be some errors in it. The date begins with admittance on trial, and we have made 
no distinction between discontinuance and location. 



1827 
1831 
1832 

1838 
1843 

ft 

1846 

1849 

1854 

1856 

1859 

1864 

1865 
tt 

1868 

1869 

1872 
tt 

1873 
« 

1874 
1876 
1877 



Armstrong, James tr. 

Allen, Benjamin tr. 

Armstrong, James, P. E d. 

Arnold, E I. 

Abbott, Isaac C I. 

Allen, Alfred 

Abbott, Norman /. 

Arnold, John M 

Anderson, Charles M 

Ayres, Aden T I. 

Armstrong, James I. 

Austin, Charles W 

Armstrong, John I. 

Aldrich, William J 

Allen, Charles T 

Austin, Lyman C d. 

Aiken, James M 

Allington, William 

Ashford, Joseph I. 

Atchinson, Jonathan B 

Andree, William 

Aust, A 

Allman, William H 

Armstrong, Edmund V 



1828 


1822 


1832 


ft 


1834 


1825 


1839 


1828 


1872 


1830 




1832 


1861 


1833 




1835 




1836 


1859 


it 


1867 


« 




1837 


1872 


« 




« 




it 


1874 


1838 




« 




ft 


1876 


» 




1839 




« 




« 




ft 




1840 



Baker, Samuel d. 

Brunson, Alfred tr. 

Baughman, John A: d. 

Brown, Arza tr. 

Billings. Alvan 

Beswick, George M tr. 

Brockway, William H 

Buckles, A /. 

Babcock, Charles tr. 

Beers, Hawley B tr. 

Burns, David d. 

Bennett, Isaac 

Breckenridge, George W...tr. 

Britain, Flavel I. 

Brown, Zebulon C /. 

Blowers, Rufus L /. 

Brakeman, Josiah d. 

Burgess, Oliver tr. 

Byron, Joseph I. 

Barnes, Dan d. 

Blanchard, Jonathan d. 

Bradley, George d. 

Brown, George W tr. 

Bangs, Francis B 



1823 
1823 
1868 
1831 

1833 

1836 

1844 
1837 
1877 

1841 
1875 
1844 
1840 
1849 
1839 
1841 
1840 
1864 
1871 
1854 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 



447 



1840 

1841 
u 

1843 

tt 
tt 

1844 



1846 



1847 

1848 



1850 
« 

1851 
u 

1852 

1853 
a 

1854 

1854 
« 

1855 



1856 



1853 

1859 

a. 

«i 

1860 

« 

1861 

a 

1862 
u 
tt 
it 

1863 



1864 

1865 
a 

1866 



Bnsh, Daniel I. 

Bigelow, William E 

Briar, James I. 

Berry, Ezra I. 

Bruce, Caleb A w. 

Bushy, Joseph (Indian) I. 

Barnum, Nelson. d. 

Bell, Andrew 

Bessey, Samuel 

Bird, Robert 

Blades, Francis A 

Boynton, Valraore G 

Benson, William 

Brown, Henry N 

Buchanan, Philander G tr. 

Borden, Edmund W I. 

Belnap, Giles N d. 

Bignell, George d. 

Blades, William I. 

Boynton, Jeremy 

Btirnham, John H w. 

Bartlett, Alanson R 

Bignell, Thomas H 

Barker, Sewel P I. 

Bancroft, John O 

Bennett, Loren M 

Baur, Emil tr. 

Beach, Asahel C 

Brock way, Nelson L 

Brockway, Edwin H 

Bertrams, Gustavus tr. 

Bigelow, Andrew J 

Birdsall, William 

Braggins, John I. 

Barker, Henry P I. 

B irth, Sebastian tr. 

Black, Andrew J ex. 

Bliss, W.C.H I. 

Buel, James I 

Burch, Lawrence D w. 

Burnett, William Q 

Beard, Edgar d. 

Bement, Horace H I. 

B;irr, Lewis I. 

Betts, George I I. 

Bird, Samuel 

Benson, Amos d. 

Billing, James I. 

Braun, Jacob tr. 

Benton, William H 

Bourns, Alfred F 

Ball, I tr. 

Berry, Francis W I. 

Boeurs, William A 

Blowers, Washington I d. 

Bacon, Elisha D 

Bigelow, Samuel I. 

Buckley, James M tr. 

Berry, Joseph R tr. 

Barnes, D. F 

Blanchard, B. W /. 

Ball, David O 

Bacon, D. S I 



1849 



1866 



1843 


u 


1845 


tt 


1852 


tt 


1847 


1867 


1852 


o. 




tt 




1868 




u 




tt 




tt 




tt 


1852 


t. 


1S58 


1869 


1866 


u 


1858 


tt 


1851 


tt 




1870 


1871 


tt 




tt 




1871 


1856 


tt 




tt 




1872 


1857 


tt 




1874 




1875 


1868 


it 




1876 


1861 


1877 


1867 


« 


1868 


« 


1861 


1809 


1862 


1826 




1828 


1861 


1830 




1832 


1873 


1833 


1870 


1835 


1861 


1837 


1870 


tt 




1838 


1863 


tt 


1865 


tt 


1876 


1840 

K 




1841 


1863 


tt 


1865 


1843 


1865 


« 


1865 


1844 


1864 


tt 


1866 


tt 


1870 


tt 




1846 


1869 


1847 




1848 


1874 


1849 



Balls, James 






Barnes, Leeman 






Blaker, George L 


...ex. 


1869 


Brown, Samuel J 






Buddenbaum, Henry 


tr. 


1872 


Beckwith, D. T 


1. 


1869 


Bibbins, Samuel 


d. 


1877 


Bibbins, Elisha 


d. 


1875 


Baldwin, W. W 


....tr. 


1873 


Ball, William M 






Barry, Edward 






Barrett, Wight 






Blanchard, Samuel G.... 






Boggs, Andrew R 




Borcherding, W 


...tr. 


1870 


Bathrick, Linus 






Bell, Francis I 






Bronson, W. A 






Browning, Mark 






Bennett, Isaac jr 


i 


1872 


Brass, Newman W 


i. 


1871 


Bray, Nicholas 






Barnhart, C. L 






Baskerville, Thomas H.. 






Bodmer, J. R 


....tr. 


1874 


Bettis, Samuel G 


/. 


1874 


Bradley, Franklin 






Berry, Joseph F 






Bayliss, James H 


....d. 


1876 


Blood, Alvah G 






Bready, Robert H 






Barnes, Joseph A 






Bready, John A 






Bancroft, Edward B 






Berry, James 






Buel, George A 







Case, William 


....tr. 


1816 


Coston, Zarah H 


....tr. 


1829 


Cooper, Benjamin 


....tr. 


1832 


Colclazer, Henry 


....tr. 


1846 


Cheney, Robert 


1. 


1833 


Crane, Elijah 


d. 


1868 


Chatfield, Larmon 


d. 


1876 


Chandler, Daniel M 


d. 


1838 


Colclazer, Jacob 


....tr. 


1838 


Chaplin, Jonathan E 


d. 


1846 


Collins, Wellington H.... 


d. 


1858 


Cosart, John 


1 


1844 


Crippen, Elliott M 


1. 


1847 


Cook, Remus H.... 




1845 


Comfort, William C 


....d. 


1862 


Crawford, Riley C 






Cogshall, Israel 






Cowles, William F 


....tr. 


1850 


Camburn, Myron B 


....d. 


1872 


Campbell, Alexander 


1. 


1853 


Champion, Thomas J 


...ex. 


1849 


Chapman, Henry 


1. 


1845 


Curtis, David A 






Collins, Judson D 


....d. 


1852 


Collins, Isaac F 


...tr. 


1853 


Calkins, Sylvester 




Clements, Samuel 







448 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 



1849 

1850 

1851 
« 

1852 

tt 

1854 
it 

u 

tt 



1855 



1856 
tt 

tt 

it 

1857 

is 

It 

it 
it 

It 
It 

1858 



1859 



1860 



1861 



1866 



1867 
1863 
1869 



1870 
tt 

1871 

1872 
u 

1873 
u 

tt 

1874 



Crane, Rufus C 

Card, Ira B I. 

Carter, Thomas tr. 

Chamberlain, James B I. 

Cawthorn, John W 

Clayson, William I, 

Crittenden, Alvin H 

Calender, Nicholas tr. 

Camburn, Ira H 

Chambers, Edmund C 

Chase, Benjamin P I. 

Carpenter, M. L I. 

Caster, James H 

Chipman, George A /. 

Clark, Thomas 

Clubine, John 

Congdon, Thomas J 

Carlton, Henry I. 

Corey, Milo I. 

Crawford, Isaac I. 

Crum, W. W I. 

Caster, Elisha E 

Cocker, Benjamin F 

Coplin, Alanson tr. 

Crane, Rufus H tr. 

Crippen, John W. 

Cross, Charles /. 

Chapin, George A /. 

Caldwell, Hugh tr. 

Colby, Harrison I. 

Cordon, James R d. 

Cramer, Densmore ...I. 

Chick, Charles 

Cleveland, Newell d. 

Child, James L d. 

Campbell, William J 

Chase, Oscar F d. 

Clark, William J 

Curnalia, James H 

Church, Charles L 

Clark, Benjamin M ex. 

Cochran, Isaac C d. 

Colby, William M 

Calkins, Levi W 

Clough^ Albert B 

Coe, Hiram I. 

Cooley, Elias 

Crosby, Chauncy R I. 

Cowan, John I. 

Clemo, William C I. 

Cadwell, Jason E 

Casler, David 

Cole, George L 

Coplin, W. M 

Carlisle, J. W. H 

Cleghorn, Thomas 

Cogshall, Wilber I 

Carroll, Morton D 

Clark, Nathan N 

Campbell, John W 

Campbell, William M 

Craven, Edwin 

Campbell, William R I. 



1875 



1851 


XOit 

tt 


1856 


tt 


1352 


1875 




1876 


1853 


a 




1877 


1857 


1812 




1818 




1819 


1855 


1826 


1856 


1832 




1834 


1856 


1836 




1844 




a 




tt 


1862 


1847 


1859 


1851 


1869 


tt 


1857 


tt 




1852 




1855 


1866 


tt 


1872 


tt 




ti 


1858 


1856 


1858 


1857 


1870 


1859 


1859 


it 


1876 


1861 


1859 


1862 




1866 


1862 


u 


1874 


1867 




1869 


1863 


it 




1870 




1871 


1865 


1873 


1868 


« 




tt 




1874 
u 


1867 


a 




it 


1870 


1875 


1872 


1876 


1869 


tt 




1832 




1838 




1842 




1846 




tt 




1851 




1853 




1857 




1858 




1859 




1864 



1867 



Coates, Frederick 

Copp, Richard 

Chalis, Dewit C 

Cope, Robert L 

Callen, Marshall M 

Christian, L 

Crane, Alfonzo 

Densmore, George W tr. 

Davis, Alpheus tr. 

Dixon, Truman tr. 

Donahoo, James T tr. 

Dixon, Andrew i. 

Davis, Lorenzo I. 

Delaney, Mark I. 

Day, Eri H 

Dubois, Robert d. 

Donelson, Ira W 

Doughtv, Benjamin F '. 

Davis, H. G I. 

Donelson, Park S tr. 

Dunton, Alfred A 

Dobbins, Jacob 

Dougherty, Myron A tr. 

Dean, Lyman H 

Deshetler, Basil L I. 

Donnelly, William 

Doust, William 

Dwelle, Jedediah I. 

Dayton, James N 

Dunning, William I. 

Darling, A. A I. 

Dorey, James F d. 

Deitz, Frederick M 

Draper, Gilbert C 

Davis, George R 

Dunlap, James A 

Dunning, W. Edson 

Downs, Henry C I. 

Deacon, George I. 

Draper, James 

Davis, Lewis P 

Dawe, William 

Dodds, Lafayette 

Dawe, Edwin 

Diverty, James E 

Donaldson, George 

Dunker, Louis tr. 

Daniels, Eugene D 

Darling, Marcellus W 

Downs, Allison O I. 

Elliott, Arthur B /. 

Ercanbrack, John d . 

Emery, Reuben I. 

Eldred, Andrew J 

Ercanbrack, Caleb K I. 

Earl, Lewis W 

Etheridge, N. C I. 

Elliott, Joseph (Indian) /. 

Edmonds, Lewis M 

Edwards, Arthur 

Engle, David 

Edwards, Timothy I. 

Eglers, John C tr. 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 



449 



1867 
a 

1868 

1874 

1877 

1820 

1829 

1830 

1831 

1837 

1838 

1839 

1841 

1847 

1848 

1853 
tt 

1854 

tt 

1855 
tt 

1857 

1858 

1860 

1862 

1865 
it 

1867 

1868 

1868 
tt 

tt 

tt 

1860 

1871 
u 

1872 



1873 

1876 

1829 
a 

1831 

1832 
tt 

1834 

1839 



1841 

1843 
u 

1844 

1846 

1848 
u 

1849 

1853 

1855 

1856 
tt 



Ellis, C.H 

Elwood, Isaac N °. 

Elliott, G. C 

Evans, Henry F /. 

Eland, Albert N 

Finley, James B. (P. E.)....*r. 

Felton, Erastus tr. 

Finley, James W tr. 

Frazee, Bradford I. 

Flemming, Alanson I. 

Frees, James H tr. 

Fitch, Andrew M 

Fox, Thomas d. 

Fassett, Noah 

Farnsworth, R. L /. 

Finch, Isaac S /. 

Finch, Seth B d. 

Finch, Edwin ./. 

Fox, William 

Fisk, Lewis R. 

Freeman, Daniel S I. 

Fowler, Josiah J I. 

Freeman, Frederick J 

Fisher, Charles H 

Fox, Daniel O I. 

Fair, Alexander 

Ferguson, Larmon Pilcher.... 

Frev, Theodore S L 

Force, LP 

Frazer, Joseph 

Frazee, Elias W 

Friend, William /. 

Fuller, James M 

Fox, C. S 

Ford, William d, 

Foster, George H 

Feidler, Gustav H 

Field, George H 

Freyhofer, Solomon W tr. 

Fawcett, John /. 

Floyd, John E 

Goddard, Curtis tr. 

Gurley, Leonard B tr. 

Gavit, Ezekiel S tr. 

Gilruth, James tr. 

Gavit, Elnathan C tr. 

Gerring, Hiram tr. 

Goodale, Osee M I. 

Gillet, John K d. 

Gray, John 

Gage Franklin 

Grant, Loring tr. 

Gardner, Thomas C 

Granger, Thomas B d. 

Greensky, Peter (Indian)....^. 

Glass, Francis 

Glass, William I. 

Grimm, C.F /. 

Goodell Ransom d. 

Gillett, Daniel D 

Greenlaw, John B I. 

Gee, Alexander 

Glass, John I. 





1856 




a 




1857 


1876 


a 




1859 


1824 


tt 


1831 


1860 


1832 


1861 


1845 


1862 


1846 


1863 


1839 


tt 




tt 


1847 


1866 




1867 


1850 


tt 


1859 


1868 


1857 


it 


1855 


tt 




it 




1869 


i85S 


1871 


1874 


1874 




it 




tt 


1866 


it 




1876 


1874 


1877 




n 




a 




1810 


1871 


1811 




1815 




1824 


1873 


1829 




1831 




1834 




1835 


i875 


1838 


1874 


1839 




1840 


1832 


1841 


1831 


1842 


1833 


tt 


1836 


1845 


1833 


it 


1837 


1846 


1846 


a 


1860 


1847 




a 




1848 


1854 


1849 




1851 


1866 


1852 


1846 


1853 




tt 


1852 


1854 


1849 


a 


1855 


tt 




it 


1858 


1855 




it 


1857 


1856 



Griffin, Lewis J 






Gore, Aim on 


...1. 


1863 


Gridley, John J 


,.w. 


1862 


Gee, Luman 


...l. 


1859 


George Thomas T 






Green, Oliver H. P 


....1. 


1862 


Garlick, Latham M 


...1. 


1869 


Graham, Adam Y 


„.;/. 


1870 


Gulick, Jehiel 






Gordon, John M 






Gray, Wilson 


..d. 


1875 


Greensky, Isaac (Indian). 


...d. 


1876 


Gage, Rodney 







Gosling, George M 






Gray, A. T 






Gilbert, George L 


...d. 


1874 


Goss, Joel B 






Green, Nelson 




Grundy, Thomas C 


....1. 


1870 


Graham, John 






Gillett, Agustus H 







Gibbs, Calvin 






Giberson, Daniel W 




Gould, Amos M 




Griffith, S.N 


..tr. 


1875 


Glover, John T 




Golden, C 






Gardiner, Washington 






George, William 






Greensted Joseph 






Holmes, Ninian 


..tr. 


1812 


Hopkins, Silas 


..tr. 


1812 


Hickox, Joseph 


..tr. 


1817 


Hunter, Isaac C 


..tr. 


1825 


Hill, Jacob 


..J. 


1830 


Hill, Leonard 


..tr. 


1834 


Hargrave, Richard (P. E. 


)tr. 


1835 


Herr, William 


..tr. 


1838 


Hudson, Jonathan 


....1. 


1847 


Hoyt, Urius 


....1. 


1841 


Harrison, James S 


7 


1847 


Hemmingway, George F.. 


...J. 


1848. 


Hall, Horrace 






Haze, William H 


..J. 


1847 


Hickey, Manasseh 




^ 


Hartman, John M 


..tr. 
...d. 


1847 


Hinman, Clark T 


1854 


Holt, Joseph W 




Harris, Lovel F 


...d. 


1849 


Hoag, George W 






Helwig Charles 


..tr. 


1850 


Hendrickson, Samuel 


..J. 


186a 


Harder, Jacob S 






Hascall, Erastus R r 




Harrison, Ferris B 


..J. 


1854 


Haven Erastus O 


..tr. 


1873 


Hevener, William M 


...d. 


1867 


House, Samuel N 


..J. 


1856 


Hanes, Henrv 


..../. 


1855 


Holdstock, Enoch 


..tr. 


1865 


HilLT.S 


...1. 


2862 


Hutchins, H. C 


....1. 


1856 


Hertzer, Hermon 





......~ 



45° 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 



1856 
tt 

1857 
« 

u 

1857 



1858 

u 



1859 

1860 
<« 

1861 

1862 

1863 
« 

1864 

1866 
« 

1867 
1869 

« 

1870 
tt 

ti 

it 
tt 
tt 
it 

1871 
u 
a 
a 
a 

.1872 
a 

1873 
« 

a 

it 

1874 
<« 

« 

1875 

1876 
« 

1877 

tt 

1869 

1826 

1835 

1838 
a 

1839 

1840 

1842 
« 

1845 



Hogoboam, James J 

Hollenbeck Isaac L 

Hazzard, Agustus C tr. 

Hemmenway, Francis D 

Hicks, Thomas Jr 

Higgins, Theron C 

Holbrook, Colburn D 

Hoyt, John 

Haviland, Daniel S 

Hammond, Daniel "W 

House John tr. 

Hood, Hiram 

Hankinson, Joseph T 

Helmker, Adolph tr. 

Hagadorn, Wesley 

Hoag, Alva L d. 

Horton, Jacob 

Hollister, George E 

Heitmyer, Clamer F 

Haanel, Hugo I. 

Hott, William /. 

Harding, Abel W d. 

Hamilton, John 

Hickey, George S tr. 

Hicks, George S 

Hunsberger, Aaron 

Haanel, Eugene I. 

Hall, Horatio N 

Hamilton, S. L 

Heysett, William I. 

Hollowell, John W 

Hopkins, James H 

Hunt, Albert N I. 

Hall, Daniel I. 

Hildreth, T.F 

Hills, John 

Hudson, Eichard 

Hulbert, Albert I. 

Henry, John M I. 

Holt, William B tr. 

Hale, Osmer B 

Hard, Elijah W I. 

Hollowell, John W 

Holmes, Alexander J 

Hodge, John J 

Hoyt, Almon F 

Hudson, James L 

Hunsberger, Wesley A..., 

Hulin, James d. 

Harper, William I. 

Holm, Ephraim S 

Hathaway, William J 

Higgins, James C 

Idding, J.T 

Janes, John tr. 

Jackson, Washington /. 

Jackway, Thomas S ex. 

Johnston, DewittC I. 

Jones, Janathan I. 

Jacokes, D. C 

Jennings, Joseph . d. 

Judd, William P I 

Jacokes, Thomas H 



1857 


1848 


1857 


ti 


1865 


1850 




u 


1858 


1852 




1854 
t. 





1857 




1859 
tt 




I860 
u 




1861 


1865 


1864 




1866 


1870 


1867 




u 




1870 


1877 


it 


1862 


1871 


1871 


1873 


1876 


1875 




1820 


1873 


1833 




1835 




1838 


1873 


it 




1840 




ti 


1873 


1841 




1844 




1845 


1871 


1846 


1874 


1850 




1851 


# 


1854 




1856 


1873 


tt 


1873 


1857 


1874 


a 




tt 


1874 


1858 




1862 




u 




1866 




1868 




1869 
n 


1877 


1870 


1877 


1872 
ti 




1873 




1874 




u 


1828 


1875 


1845 


1877 


1844 


u 


1839 


1817 


1844 


1829 




1833 


1867 


1840 


1857 


1842 




1849 



Johnston, Peter O 






Johnston, John 


...i. 


1849 


Johnston, W T elcome W 






Jackson, Henry, (Indian) 


...i. 


1858 


Joslin, Thomas J 




... ... 


Johnston, Robert 


..X 


1862 


Johnston, Charles 


....i. 


1855 


Jahrans, John V 


..tr. 


1866 


Joy, Henry M 






Jekins, William F 






Joslin, Harvey 


...1. 


1861 


Johnston, William J 


..J. 


1869 


Jones, Joseph 


...d. 


1877 


Joslin, John S 


...... 




Jocelyn, George B 


..d. 


1877 


Johnston, Isaac 






Jordan, Henry D » 






Jacokes, Charles A 






Johns, J. M 


..1. 


1873 


Johnston, J. Milton 






Janes, Frederick N 






Jacklin, James E 






Kent, John P 


..tr. 


1822 


Kinnear, John 


..tr. 


1839 


Kellogg, Erastus 


..J. 


1841 


King, George 


...d. 


1851 


Kellam, James A 


..tr. 


1841 


Kahbeege, John (Indian) 


...1. 


1854 


Knox, David 


...J. 


1844 


Kellogg, Edward L 






Kelly, William 




1854 


Kingsley, Calvin 


.tr. 


1847 


Kellogg, D. B 


...1. 


1849 


Klein, John A 


.tr. 


1852 


Krehbiel, Jacob 


..tr. 




Klumph, Erastns 






Kellogg, Jason W 


...1. 


1867 


Krili, Henry 


..tr. 


1876 


Kapphaker, Frederick.... 


..tr. 


1860 


Kern, Joseph G 


..../. 


1869 


Kilpatrick, Jesse 






Klepper, John W 


...1. 


I860 


Kelley, John 






Kirby, Beuben 


...i 


1863 


Kitzmiller, Samuel 






Knappen, Ashburn A 






Kimmel, Samuel B 






Ketchum, Abijah E 






Kilpatrick, James H 




Kerr, Richard 


J 


1876 


Kratz, Reuben N 


..I. 


1873 


Kellerman, Charles R 






Kerr, Joseph 






Krier, Henry 


.tr. 


1876 


Koch, Charles 






Kerredge, J. Mileson 






Knapp, Martin W 






Laning, Gideon 


.tr. 


1818 


Latta, Samuel A 


.tr. 


1830 


Lawrence, Richard 


..1. 


1840 


Lapham, Samuel 


...1. 


1843 


Law, Hiram 


..d. 


1866 


Lee, Samuel P 







HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 



451 



1850 

1852 

1854 

1855 

1858 
tt 

1859 
a 

1863 
1867 
1868 



1869 

1870 

1871 

1874 
a 

1877 
1821 
1825 
1833 

11 

1835 



1838 
a 

1840 
u 

1842 

1844 
n 

1846 

1848 

1849 

1850 

1851 
n 

u 

a 

1854 
a 

a 

1856 
u 

1857 
n 

1858 
a 

1859 

1860 
a 

it 

tt 

tt 

1862 

1863 
a 

1865 



Levington, John /. 

Littlefield, Solomon S d. 

Lyon, Thomas 

Laas, Gustavus tr. 

Lowe, George W 

Latham, David B 

Lee, George D 

Leet, Menzo S /. 

Laing, Aaron B 

Lee, Luther 

La Du, Stullum W I. 

Lanning, Robert C 

Lich, H. G tr. 

Lyon, George M 

Leach, William H /. 

Lee, Charles C w. 

Locke, Charles I. 

Lyons, Nelson G 

Lawrence, Henry S 

Lenox, Lambert E 

Morey, Piatt B d. 

Minear, Solomon tr. 

Meek, Bichard C /. 

McGregor, Duncan L 

McCool, Thomas P I. 

Mitchell, Oren tr. 

Monnett, Osband tr. 

Mclntyre, Ira I. 

Minnis, Adam /. 

Marksman, Peter (Indian).... 

Mothersill, William d. 

Mount, Nathan d. 

McConnel, Bichard 

Morgan, Harrison 

McClure, Edward I. 

Mosher, Curtis 

Mason, Octavus d. 

Mahon, William 

May, Franklin W w. 

McAlister, Jesse E d. 

McQuig, Lee d. 

Measures, James I. 

McKnight, William d. 

Mitchell, Lewis 

Murray, Charles W /. 

McEwing, Albert /. 

Mosher, Jonathan /. 

Madison, Granville I. 

McArthy, Bobert D w. 

McKibbee, William /. 

Mills, E.D I. 

Marble, Elisha 

Mason, Wm 

McCollister, Charles E I. 

Messmore, J. H tr. 

Miller, John W 

Mayer, Andreas 

Mcritz, Henry tr. 

Moors, Aron P 

McClure, John H I. 

Mclllwain, Jonn A 

McCarty, Joseph H tr. 

Moffat, Wm. C tr. 



1874 


1865 


1872 


1866 




a 


1861 


tt 




1867 




a 




1868 


1865 


.1 




tt 




tt 


1870 


u 




1869 


i870 


1870 




1871 


1871 


« 


1873 


tt 


1873 


1873 
u 




1874 
a 


1821 


.1 


1826 


tt 


1850 


1875 


1835 


a 


1837 


1877 


1838 


a 


1839 


1836 


1837 


1845 


1863 


1851 




1854 


1863 


1857 


1876 


1860 




1861 
u 


1855 


1868 




1870 


1850 


1871 

a 


1876 


1873 


1873 


1874 


1853 


a 


1854 


1875 


1872 


1845 




1851 


1857 


1855 


tt 


1857 


1858 


1858 


a 


1845 


1862 


1870 


1860 


u 


1859 


1871 




1873 




1877 


1861 


1823 


1860 


tt 


a 


1830 




1835 


1874 


1836 




1839 


1873 


1842 


tt 


11 


1876 


1843 




it 



Morgan, Josiah G 






Mead, A. P 


tr. 


1868 


Melitzer, Charles 






Mueler, Wilhclm 


.....tr. 


1868 


McEldowney, John 


tr. 


1876 


May wood, William P.. 


d. 


1877 


Mcintosh John H 






Mash, Norman D 




May wood, John 


1. 


1876 


Mills, Burton S 






Mathias, W 






McKown, J. L. G 


...Jr. 


1870 


Masters, Levi 






Merrill, S. M 






Millar, David B 






Mount, Geo. L 






McAlister, John J 






Mathew, D 


tt;. 


1875 


McChesney, Edward 

Mathews Scott 






1. 


1875- 


Misner, Dustin W 






Moon, Lewis N 




Morton, James H 






Mavzolf, J 


/. 


1877 


McCoy, Frank M 






McFawn, David 






North, Oscar F 


1. 


1847 


Noble, John C 


1. 


1847 


Nuhfer, Nicholas 


....tr. 


1854 


Neier, Daniel 


....tr. 


1859 


Noble, James B 






Nichols, Thomas 






Nachrieb, George 


....tr. 


1864 


Noyes, Selah W 


,...w. 


1872 


Newton, Newel 






Ninde, William X 






Nagler, F. L 


....tr. 


1872 


Newton, Albert D 




u 


Northrup, Henry C 






Nankervis, Henry 






Nixon, George 






Newton, William E 


...tr. 


1876 


Osborn, Samuel A 


....d. 


1862 


Olds, Carmi C 






Otis, N. L 






Odell, Jeremiah 


....w. 


1861 


Owen, George W 






Owen, T. G 


....tr. 


1866 


Odin, J, B 






Omans, Thomas G 






Odell, Daniel J 






Osborn, Wm. H 






Orwich, J. F 






Pattee, Elias 


....1. 


1838 


Plympton, Billings O 


....tr. 


1824 


Piicher, Elijah H 


...tr. 


1877 


Perkzer, Micah G. . . 


....tr. 1 


1837 


Petezell, John H 






Parker, Boswell 




1846 


Price, Lorenzo D 


...tr. 


1859 


Pengelly, Bichard 






Parker, Jacob E 






Penfield, Henry 


....<*. 


1875 



452 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 



1848 



1850 

1851 
u 

1853 
u 

1854 

1856 
tt 

1858 

1859 
a 

1860 



1862 

1864 

1866 
a 

u 

tt 

1S67 

1868 
<• 

*< 
1869 

tt 

1870 



1871 

1872 
« 

u 

u 

1873 
« 

1874 
1876 



1810 

1827 

1832 
tt 

1837 

it 

1839 

« 

1840 

1842 

1843 

1844 
« 

1848 
1851 

1852 

1857 
tt 

1861 
1862 



Perry, James I I. 

Phelitzer John ....tr. 

Pritchard, Benjamin F 

Parsons, W. S I. 

Perrine, William H 

Pierce, D. H I. 

Palmer, George D I. 

Prindle, Elias B 

Parker, Henry O 

Penland, William I. 

Pratt, John M I. 

Pardington, Raynor S 

Pattison, Holmes A I. 

Potter, Thomas G 

Perrin, Oliver J 

Peck, Henry C 

Pugh, John 

Pratt, Byron S /. 

Pierce, Nathan W 

Paddock, William M 

Pearce, Liston H 

Pickard, Bichard F 

Plumb, Edward M 

Parker, Horace H 

Phillips, Gilbert A 

Pullman, Henry 

Prouty, William 

Pearce, Webster H 

Potts, James H 

Palmer, Horace 

Pilcher, Leander W 

Powers, Charles 

Parsons, Daniel W 

Patterson, George W tr. 

Pearce, Francis E 

Porter, Frederick W 

Priestly, John S 

Paull, John S 

Peirce, Edwin P 

Preston, Walter 

Parish, Aza G 

Pierson, Charles W 

Pope, Russel B 

Ryan, Henry (P. E.) tr. 

Runnels, William tr. 

Robinson, R. S tr. 

Robe, James T 

Richards, Ransom R d. 

Ridgway, Robert v. 

Ransom, Halsey W tr. 

Reese Joseph tr. 

Roberts, Hiram M w. 

Reynolds, Reuben w. 

Russell, John 

Rhodes, William 

Reed, Seth 

Root, Frederick S 

Robinson, James W 

Rothweiler, Jacob tr. 

Ramsdell, Stephen L 

Russell, Jesse B 

Rork, William W tr. 

Rose, William F I. 



1851 


1863 


1849 


it 




tt 


1851 


u 




1864 


1852 


1865 


1857 


1866 




1867 




1868 


1857 


« 


1862 


tt 




1869 


1868 


1870 




« 




1872 




1873 




1874 




1876 




1877 




1821 




1825 


1868 


1828 


1869 


1830 




1832 

it 




1833 




1834 




it 




1835 




1836 




u 


1872 


It 




tt 


1873 


1837 




tt 


1876 


ti 




1838 




<( 




u 




tt 


1877 


1839 


1877 


tt 




tt 


1820 


t. 


1828 


a 


1834 


it 




1840 


1872 


a 


1838 


1844 


1845 


it 


1840 


tt 


1850 


tt 


1849 


tt 




1846 


1846 


it 


i. 


1847 


1850 


1848 




1849 


1854 


1851 




1852 




1853 


1867 


a 


1863 


tt 



Reuter, George G tr. 1866 

Roberts, James „ 

Rolf, Alvin A « 

Russell, Andrew J 

Richards, Andrew J « 

Richards, John H .. 

Rice, William ex. 1874 

Riley, James 1874 

Reid, John M 

Reid, James W 

Ross, J. H 

Riley, William 

Rogers, Alonzo w. 1877 

Robinson, Charles T I 

Rork, Martin V ex. 1877 

Robinson, James M 

Richards, Jonathan E 1876 

Richl, Daniel C 

Riddick, Isaac H 

Strange, John (P. E.) tr. 1824 

Simmons, William tr. 1836 

Snow, William T tr. 1840 

Sprague, William I. 1839 

Swift, Marcus i. 1835 

Sullivan, William M /. 1837 

Smith, Newell E I. 1834 

Seaborn, Frederick A ex. 1837 

Southard, S. F /. 1835 

Smith,Lewis I 1837 

Sabin, Peter /. 1849 

Sandford, James D I. 1837 

Sharp, Peter I. 1853 

Staples, Allen d. 1848 

Scotford, John /. 1844 

Shaw, James tr. 1857 

Shaw, Samuel P. (P. E.)....fr\ 1838 

Sampson, William H tr. 1842 

Sandford, Miles W w. 1840 

Smith, George d. 1868 

Stanley, George /. 1839 

Sabin, Benjamin d. 1875 

Sapp, Rezin d. 1873 

Sayre, John ex. 1840 

Sheldon, R. P I. 1840 

Steel, Ebenezer 

Steel, Salmon 

Shurtlliffe, Gideon J d. 1849 

Stringham, Stephen C w, 1863 

Seeley, Thomas 

Simoiids, Samuel D tr. 1850 

Shaw, Addison C d. 1876 

Spates, Samuel /. 1852 

Stockwell, Charles F I. 1845 

Stambaugh, Martin W ex. 1852 

Sutton, Joseph 

Seddlemeyer JohnH tr. 1848 

Smart, James S 

Sommerville, James I. 1860 

Stonex, William G w. 1865 

Schweinfert, John tr. 1860 

Sanborn, Orlando ........ 

Seaman, Charles W r /. 1857 

Sheldon, Barber N m I. 1855 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 



453 



1854 
a 

1855 
1856 



« 

1857 
« 

1858 
u 

a 

1859 



1860 
1861 



1864 



1865 
« 

u 

1866 



1867 
tt 

1868 

« 

1869 



1870 

tt 

1871 

1872 



1S73 



1874 
1875 
1876 
1877 



1835 
1836 



Schneider, Peter F tr. 

Smith, Ira E I. 

Smith, John J I. 

Savage, John E I. 

Shank, Joseph d. 

Sinex, Thomas H tr. 

Sly, William I. 

Sumner, Daniel D I. 

Seeley, Samuel F I. 

Smith, Moses J 

Stillman, David M I 

Scarls, Braddock I. 

Steel, N. Maffett 

Stafford, William I. 

Stalker, Thomas 

Sherman, George W 

Sprague, Jonathan A 

Shaw, William C tr. 

Shier, William H 

Stowe, George 

Swift, William J 

Scott, James W /. 

Spencer, Thomas J 

Springsteen, Archibald 11.../. 

Shepherd, Albert /. 

Squiers, A. C I. 

Smith, Elijah A I. 

Schneider, John S tr. 

Sensabaugh, Andrew J I. 

Shelling, Charles /. 

Simpson, Charles 

Skinner, Irving H 

Smith, B. W 

Sparling, H. W w. 

Spencer, Henry F 

Schwimm, George tr. 

Sherman, Jonathan I. 

Sargent, Francis D I. 

Sehunk, Frederick tr. 

Scott, Marvin J 

Smith, Henry H 

Sparling, John G 

Sparling, W. H iv. 

Springsteen, H I. 

Stark, John K 

Steer, Edward 

Shier, Dan B 

Silber, William B I. 

Saunders, Nelson 

Sherman, Manly H I. 

Snyder, Sanford /. 

Stinchcomb, William 

Stedman, Ulysses S tr. 

Storrer, John I. 

Strong, Frederick 

Sweet, John 

Sparrow, Peter L 

Schneider, J 

Schweinfurth, George J 

Springsteen, James W r 

Strickland, S. C 

Triggs, Robert 

Thomson, Edward .....tr. 



1860 


1837 


1855 


1840 


1858 


1841 


1857 


1843 


1867 


! 1844 


1864 


i 1846 


1857 


1847 


1857 


1849 


1858 


1850 




1852 


1859 


1853 


1860 


t< 




1855 


1863 


1857 





1858 




1859 


1861 


1862 




1864 




1866 




1869 


1875 


1870 


1874 


1872 


1876 


tt 


1866 


1873 


1867 


1874 


1868 


it 


1875 


it 


1869 


tt 




1864 




1839 




1855 


1876 


1857 


1870 


it 


1869 


1860 


1869 


1864 


1870 


1867 




1868 




1869 




1872 


1876 


1875 


1870 


1827 




1831 




1832 




1835 


1874 


1836 




1837 


1871 


1838 


1875 


a 




tt 


1874 


1839 


1876 


u 




tt 





1841 


• 


1842 




1843 




1844 




1845 




1846 



1838 



Todd, William 


...d. 


1869 


Thomas. David 


..d. 


1870 


Taylor, William 






Tooker, Theron C 


...1. 


1845 


Tyler, E. S .. 


..ex. 


1847 


Taylor, George 






Tappin, Edwin 


...I 


i849 


Taylor, Isaac 






Tavlor, Barton S 




Todd, Henry H 


...I. 


1853 


Tracy, D. Burnham 






Thorns, Isaac N 


..tr. 


1873 


Tuttle, William 




Torrey, Augustus W 


..ex. 


1875 


Triggs, William M 






Tedman, Lucius S 






Tuthill, George W 






Tanner, James H 




Turner, Pinckney L 


...1. 


1871 


Tarr, Levi 






Treadgold, Elight 


..tr. 


1875 


Thomas, Charles G 






Truscott, John M 




Tanner, Edward A 




Thompson, Henry W 




Tallman, LB 






Templeton, John G 


...1. 


1875 


Thomas, James H 






Tilden, W 7 illiam L 






Treftz, Gottlob 






Ulrich, John J 


...J. 


i871 


Van Order, Harvey 


....1 


1846 


Yarnum, Joseph B 







Vandoozer, Samel P 


) 


1863 


Van Horn, George A 






Yan W 7 yck, Abram J 


...i. 


1868 


Yan Antwerp, Charles S. 






Yenning, James 




........ 


Yan Norman, Ephraim... 






Yalentine, Julius S 




Yanfleet, James A 




Yan Every, John M 




...... 


Van Auken, Chauncy 






Walker, George W 


..tr. 


4829 


W T ilev, Thomas 


...d. 


1836 


Whitnev, Luther D 


..J. 


1850 


Williams, Sandf^rd S 


..tr. 


1836 


W T areham, Philip 


..tr. 


1837 


Wells, W T esley J 


..tr. 


1838 


Warriner, Levi 


...1. 


1844 


Wood, Aaron (P. E.) 


..tr. 


1840 


Worthington, Henry 






Watson, James V 


..d. 


1856 


Wells, O.S 


...1. 


1840 


W T hitwom, Samuel 


...1. 


tt 


W T oodard, Stephen C 







Warner, George W 


..J. 


1842 


W T hitlock, David 


..d. 


1844 


Wakelin, Thomas 






Warren, Frederick W... .^ 




Whedon, Daniel D 


..tr. 


1853 


Wliitmore, Orin 






Westlake, Eli 








454 

1849 
« 

1850 

1851 

1852 

1854 
a 

u 

1855 

u 
tt 

It 
tt 

1857 



1859 
tt 

1860 

1861 

1862 
u 

u 

1863 
« 

tt 

1865 
tt 

1866 
« 

1867 
u 

tt 

tt 



1868 
u 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 



Wakefield, Amos......... ., 

Westerfelt, John H..... £?% 

White, Orin R W.., /. 

Warner, Silas P..... 

Whitmore, John J d. 

Whitcomb, John G 

Williams, Porter /, 

Wilber, Albert D tr. 

AVard, Rowland I. 

Webster, James 

Wells, H. C I. 

Wightman, B. H 

Wilkinson, Samuel I. 

Watson, Charles P I. 

Way, William C. 

Wesley, John 

Wright, Elisha I. 

Warren, Squire E 

Wheeler, Amos C... I. 

Wilkinson, Edward tr. 

West, Francis L.. d. 

Wilson, George 

Withey, Jerome B I. 

Woodard, David C 

Watkins, Aaron A d. 

Wightman, Ira R. A 

Wright, Dean C I. 

Wehness, Conrad 

White, Henry S 

Ware, Wm. H 

Wigle, Eli 

Withey, James E ....... 

White, Joshua 

Whitcomb, Alonzo 

Whitcomb, Lewis J 

Whitney, George C ex. 

Wilsey, Marcenus B 

Wood, James R I. 

Wood, Charles D I. 

Wallace, John F 

Warburton, Charles S w 

White, James E 





1868 


1851 


t 


1857 


1869 




tt 


1855 


it 


1857 


a 


1856 


it 


it 


a 




tt 


1856 


1870 




tt 


1861 


tt 


1858 


a 




n 




a 


1860 


u 




1871 


1861 


tt 


1873 


tt 


1865 


1872 




tt 


1868 


tt 


„ 


1873 


1867 


tt 




tt 


1865 


it 




1874 




u 




tt 




tt 




tt 




1876 




1877 




it 


1868 


tt 




1841 


1869 


1849 


1870 


1856 




1863 


1873 


1867 


••••••• 





Williams, Henry C I. 1874 

Williams, William T I. 1872 

Welsh, W. W tr. 1872 

Whitman, Barney H 

Wilkinson, Thomas R I. 187 

Wilson, Samuel S 

Wilson, Andrew W 

Wood, Alvah B 

Wright, Philip S 

Wright, B. F I 

Walker, John L 

Warns, Anthony tr* 187 

Washburn, W. Wallace 

Welch, Rollin C 

Wheeler, Arthur J 

Wilkinson, Thomas 

Wunderlich, E. tr. 1874 

Ward, Duncan M 

Weiler, Gustav 

Whalen, James E 

Weber, Adam tr. 

Whiteley, Duke 

Woodhams, Ronald 

Whalen, Edward I. 

Whit warn, Edward A 

Wheaton, W. W tr. 

Wightman, Oramel E 

White, John W 

Whitney, Jonathan M 

Whitmore, Orin B 

Wilcox, Isaac 

Williams, John P I. 181 

Wilson, Isaiah 

Weeks, George A 

Willetts, Oscar F 

Wright, Henry W 

Young, Ruggles B L 184 

Young, Erasmus D , 

York, Lodowick C 

Yemans, Charles C I. 187 

York, Frederick E 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 



455 



A LIST OF ALL THE 

EPISCOPAL METHODIST MINISTERS 



Who have been appointed to Detroit, with the date of appointment. 

These appointments were all made in the summer 

or autumn of the year named. 



1809. William Case. 

1810. Ninian Holmes, Wm. Mitchell. 

1811. Ninian Holmes, Silas Hopkins. 

1812. George W. Densmore. 
1813-14. The War. 
1815-16. Joseph Hickox. 

1817. Gideon Laning. 

1818. Alpheus Davis. 

1819. Truman Dixon. 

1820. John P. Kent. 

1821. Piatt B. Morey, who died, and it was sup- 

plied by John P. Kent. 

1822. Alfred Brunson, Samuel Baker. 

1823. Elias Pattee, Billings O. Plympton. 

1824. Elias Pattee, Isaac C. Hunter. 

1825. William Simmons. 
1826-7. Zarah H. Coston. 
1828-9. Arza Brown. 
1830. Alvan Billings. 
1831-2. Henry Colclazer. 
1833-4, Elijah Crane. 
1835. William Herr. 
1836-7. Edward Thomson. 
1838. Jonathan E. Chaplin. 
1839-40. Henrv Colclazer. 

1841. Andrew M. Fitch. 

1842. James S. Harrison. 

1843. James S. Harrison, Jonathan Blanchard. 

WOODWARD AVENUE. 

1844. James V. Watson. 
1845-6. John A. Baughman. 

1847. Supplied by O. Mason, andE. Crane, P. & 

1848-9. Samuel D. Simonds. 

1850-1. Elijah H. Pilcher. 

1852-3. Wellington H.Collins. 

1854-5. Albert D. Wilbor. 

1856-7. Francis A. Blades. 

1858 Samuel Clements. 

1859-60 Seth Eeed. 

1861-2, John M. Arnold. 

1863. James M. Buckley. 



Union of Woodward Avenue and Congress Street, 

making 

CENTRAL CHURCH. 

1864. James M. Buckley. 

1865. James M. Buckley, Joseph H. McCarty. 

1866. Joseph H. McCarty, Lewis B. Fiske. 
1867-8. Lewis R. Fiske. 

1869. Benjamin F. Cocker, but wan supplied by 

D. D. Buck and G. C. Lyon. 
1870-1-2. William X. Ninde. 

1870. Charles C. Yemans, Assistant. 
1873-4-5. Lewis E. Fiske ; 1873-4, J. B. At- 

chinson, Assistant. 
1876-7. Wm. X. Ninde. 

CONGRESS STREET. 

1844-5. Bansom B. Richards. 

1846. James F. Davidson. 

1847. Harrison Morgan. 
1848-50. George Taylor. 

1851. JohnKussell. 

1852. Carmi C. Olds. 

1853. William Mahon. 
1854-5. Manasseh Hickey. 
1856-7. Andrew J. Eldred. 
1858-9. Francis A. Blades. 

1860. Franklin W. May. 
1861-2. Orlando Sanborn. 

1863. James S. Smart. 

1864. It was amalgamated with Woodward Ave- 

nue, making the Central Church. 
LAFAYETTE STREET — TABERNACLE. 

1849. Joseph J. Perry. 

1850. Lorenzo D. Pierce. 

1851. George Taylor. 
1852-3. Manasseh Hickey. 
1854-5. William H. Perrine. 
1856-7. James F. Davidson. 
1858. Robert Bird. 
1859-60. Daniel C. Jacokes. 

1861. Seth Eeed. 



456 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 



1862-3-4. Jacob C. Wortley. 
1865-6. Orin Whitmore. 
1867-8-9. Elisha E. Caster. 
1870-1-2. John McEldowny. 
1873^-5. Webster H. Pearce. 

1876. Lewis E. Fiske. 

1877. Charles T. Allen. 



1851-* 



French mission, (discontinued.) 
Thomas Carter. 



CITY MISSION— 6th St. — SIMPSON. 

1852. Riley C. Crawford. 

1853. Richard McConnelL 

1854. Joseph W. Holt. 

1855. John A. Baughman. 

1856. Manasseh Hickey. 

1857. John Levington. 

1858. John A. Baughman. 

1859. Arthur Edwards. 

1860. John Levington. 
1861-2. Jason W. Kellogg. 

1863. John M. Arnold. 

1864. Henry N. Brown. 

1865. Silas P. Warner. 

1866. Manasseh Hickey. 

1867. Squire E. Warren. 

1868. William J. CampbelL 
1869-70. Thomas J. Joslin. 
1871. William H. Shier. 
1872-3-4. Thomas Stalker. 
1875-6-7. W.W.Washburn. 

beaubien street. (German), 

1846. Charles Helwig. 

1847. John M. Hartman. 

1848. Chaales Helwig, Charles Grimm. 

1849. Charles Helwig. 
1850-51. John A. Kleine. 
1852-3. Jacob Eothweiler. 
1854-5. Peter Schneider. 
1856. Emil Baur. 
1857-8. Nicholas Nuhfer. 
1859-60. John Schweinfert. 
1861-2. George Nachtreib. 
1863-4-5. George Reuter. 
1866. Charles Melitzer. 
1857-8-9. George Schweinn. 
1870-1. Anton Warns. 
1872-3-4. Henry Pullman. 
1875-6-7. Charles G. Hertzer. 

Ti AS AXLE AVENUE — SIXTEENTH STREET. 
( German.) 
1856. Gustavus Laas. 
1857-8. Gustavus Bertrams. 
1859-60. William A. Boerns. 

1861. Jacob Braun. 
1862-3-4. Charles G. Hertzer. 
1865. Henry Maentz. 
1866-7. John S. Schneider. 
1868-9. William Borcherding. 
1870. A.Meyer. 

1871-2-3. Jacob Braun. 
1874-5. Henry KrilL 



1876-7. George A. Reuter. 

JEFFERSON AVENUE. 

1866. Manasseh Hickev. 
1867-8-9. Alfred F. Bourns. 
1870-1-2. Elisha E. Caster. 
1873-4. Alanson R. Bartlett. 

1875. James M. Fuller. 

1876. Elijah H. Pilcher. 

1877. Raynor S. Pardington. 

SIXTEENTH STREET. 

1872. Henrv N. Brown. 
1873-4. Lewis P. Davis. 
1875. Squire E. Warren. 
1876-7. John Russell. 

FORT STREET. 

1874-5-6. Raynor S. Pardington. 
1877. William Q. Burnett. 

PRESIDING ELDERS. 

Genesee Conference — Upper Canada District 
1810-11-12. Henry Ryan. 
1815. William Case. 
1816-17-18-19. Henry Ryan, 

Ohio Conference — Lebanon District. 

1820. James B. Finley. 

1821. John Strange. 

1822. James B. Finley. 

Miami District. 

1823. John Strange. 

Ohio Conference. 

1824. James B. Finley. Sand.usky District. 

1825. William Simmons. Detroit District, 
1826-7-8. Zarah H. Coston. 
1829-30-31. Curtis Goddard. 
1832-3-4-5. James Gilruth. 

Michigan Conference. 
1836-7. William Herr. 
1838-41. George Smith. 
1842-3. Elijah H. Pilcher. 
1844-7. Elijah Crane. 
1848-51. James Shaw. 
1852-3. John A. Baughman. 
1854-5. Wellington H. Collins. 
Detroit Conference. 
1856-7. Wellingtou H. Coollins. 
1858-9. James F. Davidson. 
1860-63. Manasseh Hickey. 
1864-7. Samuel Clements. 
1868-71. Francis A. Blades. 
1872-75. Elijah Pilcher. 
1876-7. James M. Fuller. 

German. (Mich. District), 
1854-5. N. Callender. 
1856-9. Peter F. Schneider. 
1860-3. Nicholas Nuhfer. 
1864-7. Clamor F. Heitmeyer* 
1868-9. H. G. Lich. 
1870-3. E. Wunderlich. 
1874-7. Gottlob Treftz. 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 457 

NOTE. — The City of Detroit was made a Station in 1825, that is, the minister was to con- 
fine his work to the city ; hence only one name appears until 1843. At this time it was deter- 
mined to create a new Society, and a second man was appointed. The new organization took the 
name of Congress Street. In 1844 the first Society took the name of Woodward Avenue, and these 
two worked separately until 1864, when they were united and took the name of Central Church. 
In 1849 a third Church was organized called Lafayette Street, which is nowknown as Tabernacle. 
A fourth charge was organized in 1852, called City Mission, then Walnut Street, afterwards 
Seventh Street, and finally Simpson Church, when they erected their present beautiful house. 

The German charges were also uncertain in their names for some time, and finally settled 
down on the names now appearing in the Minutes. 

The other charges were created in the years named with the names now attached to them, 
to wit : Sixteenth Street in September, 1872, and Fort Street in February, 1874. 




458 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 



IILTIDIEiX, 



PAGE. 

Abbott, Robert 40 

Abbott, Betsey 46 

Adams, S. C 304 

Adams, Dr., becomes Romanist... .«« 213 

Adrian— 

Historical 296 

Appears in Minutes 296 

First Preachers 297 

Church Organized 297 

Additions 297 

School-house 298 

Preaching on Sabbath 298 

Revival — Davidson and Wiley 298 

Station 300 

Church Erected 300 

Parsonage 300 

Revival— Watson 300 

Baptism Discussed 30 L 

Revival — Baughman 303 

Second Church 304 

Difficulties 304 

Opposition 305 

Sabbath Schools 317 

Other Churches 317 

Work in the County 317 

Statististics for County 318 

Property 318 

Statistics for City 319 

Albion — 

Location 383 

History 3S3 

College 383 

Endowment 390 

Preston 386 

Revivals 387 

Principals and Presidents 387 

Churches Organized 396 

Quarterly Meeting 396 

Revival Meetings 398 

Baptism 401 

Allegan 416 

Ann Arbor — 

District Created 113 

Sketch 227 

Its Name 228 

First Preaching 228 

Presbyterian Church 228 

Methodist Church 228 

Circuits 229 

Members 229 

First Methodist Prayer Meeting 230 

Arrangement of Circuits 231 

Accessions 231 

Name of Circuit 232 



PAGE. 

Church Built „ 233 

Bishop Soule 234 

Revival 233 

Station 234 

No Defection 232 

Appointments 234 

Progress 235 

Presbyterian 235 

Protestant Episcopal 235 

Baptist.......... 235 

Congregational 235 

German Methodist 235 

Statistics 235 

Anecdotes — 

Mr. Richard 15 

William Case 33 

HenryRyan 37 

Bible Distribution 379 

Collection 345 

Judge Russ 359 

Armstrong, James 255 

Arnold, Dr. John M 431 

Atwater, Luman R 347 

" Aunt Kitty"— Fay 298 

Babcock, Charles ..284 

Bacon, David 12 

Baker, Samuel — 

On Detroit Circuit 93 

Marries and Dies 93 

Memoir of. ......136 

Bangs, Dr. Nathan — 

Journey to Detroit 18 

Second Visit to Detroit 13 

Third Visit— Leaves 13 

Memorial of. ~ 25 

Bangs, Joseph 245 

Bangs, Francis B 352 

Battle Creek — 

History 376 

Name 377 

Incident of revival 378 

Church Organized .. 378 

Names of Members 378 

Statistics 383 

Circuit 380 

Baughman, John A 185, 252 

Baughman, Mrs. John A 148 

Bay View 437 

Bell, Andrew 303 

Beswick, George M 265 

Bidwell,Ira 306 

Bignell, George 413 

Billings, Alvan .. 115 

Bird, Robert « „..„324 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 



459 



PAGE. 

Birmingham Church 324 

Black Hawk War 125 

Blades, William 353 

Blades, Francis A 204, 300, 346 

Brick Church — 

How Walls put up..... 98 

Never Finished 99 

What Became of it 100 

Book Depository 430 

Brockway, William H 178, 284 

Brown, Arza — 

In Detroit 190 

Oakland Circuit 192 

Memorial of. 190 

Brown, Hannah B 229 

Brown, Bebecca G 230 

Brown, Sarah J 230 

Brown, Charles, Sudden Death of. 369 

Brown, Z. C 345, 412 

Brunson, Dr. Alfred — 

Detroit Circuit 93 

Visits Mount Clemens 136 

A Catholic Wants Sins Pardoned 136 

Memorial of. 134 

Camp Meetings — 

In Canada, 1810 21 

On the Rouge 91 

In Superior, 1831 117 

In Bloomfield, 1831 194 

1832 120 

Near Adrian 318 

In Grand River Valley 335 

In Jackson Countv 366 

Near Albion 401 

Central Church, Detroit 199 

Charges — 

1828 Ill 

1829-30 115 

1831 132 

1832 126 

1834 128 

Chatfield, Larmon..." 338 

Cholera 126 

Churches in Detroit Organized — 

Methodist 16, 17 

Protestant Episcopal 168 

Presbyterian 68, 168 

Baptist 168 

Congregational 168 

Church Property 421 

Circuits — 

Extent of. 94 

Geography of. 112 

Names of. 112 

Enlargement of. 116 

Clark, Calvin 132 

Clements, Samuel 321 

Close of War 56 

Cocker, Dr. B. F 242 

Colclazer, Henrv 115, 232, 300 



PAGE. 

COLDWATER — 

Appears 285 

Growth , 286 

Statistics : 286 

Church Organized 87 

Names . 87 

Collins, W. H 204 

Collins, J. D 236 

Comfort, William C 259 

Comstock, Nathan 298 

Comstock, Hon. A. J 301 

Comstock, Dr. O. C 291 

Conferences — 

Michigan Created 175 

Detroit Created 175 

Comparative Progress 422 

Conclusion — A Summary 70 

Congregational Church 422 

Congress St. Church 198 

Controversy, 248 

Conversions — 

R. Abbott 21 

Catholic Woman 91 

Franch Woman 192 

A. J. Comstock 301 

P. Davidson 243 

Eli Hubbard 117 

Cooper, Benjamin 257 

Corporation, Detroit — 

Organization 95 

Articles of 95 

Corporators 97 

Coston, Z. H.— 

In Detroit 110 

Visits Southwestern Michigan 113 

Crane, Elijah 234 

Cross, Margarette 246 

Darwin, Alanson 217 

Davidson. James F. — 

In Adrian 298 

Preseding Elder 257 

Memorial of. 217 

Davidson, Mrs. Jas. F 259 

Davis, Alpheus — 

On Detroit Circuit 69 

Memorial of. 81 

Davis, Lorenzo 127, 253 

Dean, Jerry 138 

Detroit — 

Circuit 13 

Circuit in 1822 135 

District , 108 

City— Origin of. 11, 156 

Growth 157 

Attacked by Ottogamies 161 

Burned 14 

Efforts to Save 14, 15 

Casualties 161 

New City 15 

Savovard River 159 

Pontiac's Siege 162 



460 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 



PAGE. 

Periodicals 166 

Religious Statistics 204 

Educational 168 

Beligious Societies 167 

Young Men's Christian Association 168 

Diocese — Protestant Episcopal 176 

Dixon, Truman 83 

Dobbins, Jacob — 

A Local Preacher 336 

Crosses Grand Eiver on Kaft 336 

Donahoo, James T 220 

Duffield, Dr. George 202 

Edwards, Dr. Arthur 435 

Eldred, Andrew J 347 

Episode 397 

Ercanbrack, John 259 

Evangelistic Society 68 

Farnsworth, L. L." 198 

Farmington— 

Revival at 116 

Finley, Dr. James B. — 

First Visit to Detroit Circuit 181 

Visits Detroit City 181 

Petitioned for * 184 

Memorial of. 180 

Finley, James W.— 

Monroe Circuit . 215 

Revival 214 

Crosses River on Ice 215 

Memorial of 215 

Fish, Hon. Henry 330 

Fiske,Dr. L. R 394 

Fisk, James 286 

Fitch, A. M 346 

Fitzgerald, Maria 368 

Flint, Martin — 

Converted 361 

A Martyr 361 

Flint, City of— 

Origin...! 348 

Shools 348 

Church Organized 348 

Brockway's Account 348 

Quarterly Meeting 349 

Sacrament 349 

Appears in Minutes 349 

Church Built ; 350 

Station 352 

Church Burned 352 

Second Church.... 352 

Other Denominations 352 

Conference Sessions 353 

Statistics 353 

Foot, Milton 309 

Fox, Thomas 310 

Frazee, Bradford- 
Saginaw Mission 281 

Marries 281 

Freeman, Daniel 16 

Freeman, Daniel B 352 



Frees, James — 

On Grand River Circuit 342 

Capacities for the Work.. 342 

Friendship Broken 64 

Gardner, Dr. Thomas C 329 

Garwood, Joseph C. — 

Converted 112 

Joins Methodist Episcopal Church 214 

Memorial of. 214 

Geography of Circuits 112 

German Work 418 

Gilruth, James — 

Presiding Elder 126 

Memorial of 187 

Goddard, Curtis 187 

Grand Rapids — 

Grand River Valley 334 

Appears in Minutes 334 

In Ann Arbor District 334 

In Marshall District 335 

Wants Met ....335 

Defection, Instance of. 337 

Revivals 337 

Unsuitable Appointment 342 

Review 343 

Bad Policy 343 

Progres 344 

Change of Policy 344 

Settlement Progresses 344 

Special Attention to Rapids 344 

Increase 345 

Station 346 

Revivals 346 

Second Charge 347 

Statistics 347 

Property 347 

Other Denomitations 347 

Grant, Dr. Isaac — ■ 

Became a Methodist 402 

Class-leader 402 

Memorial of. 402 

Grant, Loring 383, 404 

Gurley, L. B 231 

Hanchett, Joseph 87 

Harmon, Thomas 69 

Harvey, Widow — 

Invites Kent to a Home 212 

Labored with for it 212 

Harvey, Marv 210 

Hastings, E. P 171 

Haven, Dr. E. 230 

Heroism 17 

Hickey, Manasseh 429 

Hickox, Joseph- 
Appointed to Detroit 56 

Desdription of Detroit 56 

Success in Canada 62 

Extent of Circuity i 50 

Journey to Detroit 77 

Col James' Order 63 

Labors on Circuit 63 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 



46l 



Interviews with Richard 102 

Memorial of. 71 

Hinman, Dr. C. T.— 

At Albion 384 

At Northwestern University 388 

Memorial of. 387 

Hobart, Randall 292 

Holmes, Ninian — 

Appointed to Detroit 22 

Memorial of. 35 

Honness, Wyandotte 1 27 

Hopkins, Silas 36 

Hudson, Jonathan 285 

Hunter, Isaac C. — 

Horse abused 1 01 

Appointed to Detroit i 01 

Memorial of. 147 

Immersionists 338 

Incidents — 

Romantic 414 

Rowdyism 118 

" The Power"— Baptist Brother 194 

Scotchman and Hell 193 

Revivals at Romeo 272 

Clairvoyance 265 

Church Attndance 265 

Singular 118 

Interrupting a Preacher 338 

Increase — ■ 

Of Settlement 90 

Of Work 91 

Introductory 99 

Ionia— 

Church Organized 410 

Station 410 

Other Churches 411 

Conclusion 411 

Jackson — 

Settlement 357 

County Organized .359 

Judges 359 

Hard Name 359 

Reading Meetings 360 

First Sermon 360 

Church Organized 361 

First Quarterly Meeting 361 

Vicissitudes 361 

Sabbath School 362 

Numbers 362 

Presbyterian 362 

Congregational 362 

Revival in City 362 

Baptist 363 

Protestant Episcopal 363 

Difficulties of Travel 365 

The County 366 

Revival in County 366 

Appears in Minutes 374 

Station 375 

Church Built 375 

Statistics 376 



PAGE. 

Jacokes, Dr. D. C. — 

Admitted 326 

Memorial of. 325 

Janes, John — 

On Detroit Circuit 110 

Visits Adrian 297 

Is Married HI 

Jesuits — Course Accounted for 9 

Jocelyn, Dr. George B. — 

President Albion College 401 

Memorial of 404 

Kalamazoo — 

History 254 

Appears in Minutes 122 

Missionaries to 254 

Church Organized 255 

Names 255 

Other Churches 255 

Extent of Circuit 255 

Circuit Curtailed 255 

New Societios 256 

New Members 256 

Advance 256 

Special Attention 257 

Minister for a Third Year 257 

Church Begun 257 

Station 257 

Conference 1848 258 

Bishop Janes's Sermon 259 

No Disaster 259 

Statistics 259 

Still a Village 263 

Keeler, Mary 116 

Kellam, James A 305 

Kent, John P. — 

Sent to Detroit 89 

Holds Camp-meeting 91 

Memorial of. 133 

Ketchum, Sidney 289 

Ketchum, Katherine 289 

Lakes — • 

Superior 178 

Devil's 318 

Saint Clair, night on 221 

Laning, Gideon — 

Sent to Detroit 69 

Revisits the Country 80 

Memorial of 79 

Lansing — 

Sketch of. 406 

Early Preachers 406 

Church Organized 407 

Population 407 

Right Policy 408 

Appears in Minutes 408 

District 408 

Conference Session 409 

Statistics 410 

Latta, Dr. Samuel A. — 

Sent to Saint Clair 220 

Memorial of. 220 



462 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 



Lee, Br. Luther „ ...356 

LeRoy, D 320 

Limbocker, Rev. Mr 132 

Literary Institutions .„ ... .,„ 230 

Log Churches — ■ 

On the Rouge. „ 83 

History of 84 

*' Donation Chapel". ._ -.„ 131 

History of. „ 322 

Lyons 335 

Macomb, Sarah 50 

McCarty, William 44 

McCartv, Maria C ~ „ 47 

McCartv, Dr. J. H 435 

McConnell, Willard M 321 

McCoskry, R't. Rev. Dr. S. A 176 

Marshall — 

Location „. 288 

Population.. 295 

Rivals 288 

Religious Services 288 

Church Organized 289 

Names , =.289 

Love-feast and Sacrament 1.90 

, Increase 290 

Revival 288 

Appears in Minutes „~ 291 

District | .„ „ 291 

Conference at „ 291 

Bishop Hedding's Sermon 292 

Second Conference „ 292 

Presbvterian Church - 292 

Cholera 293 

Other Churches 293 

Incorporated a City 295 

Educational 295 

Maxwell, Major Thompson — ■ 

Throws Tea in Boston Harbor 120 

Soldier of the Revolution 120 

Soldier 1812 „ 120 

Memorial of 120 

TWfavnard, Maria 232 

Methedist Polity . 410 

-Methodist Publishing Company — 

Articles of Association 431 

^ First Officers 431 

Tvlichigan Christian Advocate '. 431 

Millerism 303 

Minister Flogged 305 

Ministers Raised up „ „ 127 

Missions — 

St. Joseph „ 114 

On Lake Superior (Indian) 178 

In Lower Peninsula (Indian) 428 

- Flat Rock (Indian) 127 

In Detroit (French) ..199 

Mitchell, William- 
Appointed to Detroit 22 

Organizes a Church 16 

Memorial of. 39 



PAGE. 

Mitchell, Joseph — 

In Detroit 1817 66 

Anecdote of Sermon 67 

Conversation with Monteith 67 

Mitchell, Oren .....334 

Monnett, Osband — 

Sent to Grand Rapids 411 

Horse Stolen 412 

MONEOE — 

History of. 209 

Methodist Church 210 

Methodist Before the War 211 

Presbyterian Church 211, 217 

First Church Erected 211 

Methodist re-organized 211 

Revival 214 

Pilcher and Sprague '. 216 

Station 216 

Church Built 216 

Protestant Episcopal 216 

Baptist 219 

German Lutheran 217 

Statistics 218 

Montieth, John — 

Comes to Detroit 60, 64 

Organizes a Societv 64 

Morey, Piatt B 90 

Neglecter, End of a 117 

New Church 100, 199 

NlLES — ■ 

Sketch of. 263 

Coston visits 264 

Church Organized 264 

Appears in Minutes 263 

Station 264 

Conference Session 265 

Statistics 271 

Dissensions 270 

The Work Around 266 

Other Churches 270 

Noble, Sally 143 

North, O. F .84 

Northwestern C. Advocate 434 

Note 87 

Offer of Help 99 

Other Protestant Churches 421 

Owen, Hon. John 139 

Palmer, Mrs. Mary A.. 145 

Parke, Dr. Ezra 193 

Pattee, Elias— 

Sent to Detroit 99 

Goes East to Collect Money 99 

Memorial of. 251 

Pearce, John D 292 

Phelps, Ambrose M 293 

Phelps, Hon. Col. William 198 

Pilcher, Dr. E. H.— 

On Ann Arbor Circuit 115. 232 

OnTecumseh '..123 

Extent of Circuit 123 

First round on 123 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 



46. 



PAGE. 

Extracts from Journal 123 

Going through Woods 124 

Return to Ann Arbor 124 

Blazes the Way 125 

Pilcher, Caroline M 372 

Pilcher, J. Henry 362 

Pilcher, Phebe M 272 

Plympton, Billings 93 

Pontiac — 

Sketch of 319 

Infidel Club 319 

Mock Baptism 320 

Death of Administrator 320 

First Preacher 320 

Small Societies 321 

Station 321 

Churches Built 321 

Property 321 

Revival 322 

Bad Policy 322 

Defections 323 

Other Churches 324 

Summary 324 

Statistics 325 

Port Huron — 

Sketch of 326 

Methodist Society 326 

Church Built 326 

Congregational 329 

Protestant Episcopal 329 

Conference Session 329 

' Bishop Waugh 329 

Revival 329 

District 329 

Statistics 330 

German Society 330 

Potts, James H 416 

Preliminary 133, 175 

Presbyterian Minister, the first 60 

Preston, Hon. David 394 

Progress of Churches 200 

Prospect 16 

Protestant Ministers — 

Different from Jesuits 10 

Sacrifices to be made 10 

Quarterly Meeting, the first 17 

Records, Church — 

Loosely kept 56 

Loss of Class-books 56 

Reed, Seth 329 

Reflections 58 

Remarkable Manifestations — 

AtBloomfield 120 

At Adrian 300 

Retrospect 23, 130 

Review . 94 

Richard, Gabriel 104 

Richards, Ransom R 178 

Richards, # Mrs. R, R 408 

River Raisin 211 

Roads and Accommodations 20 



Robe, James T „260> 

Roman Catholics 422' 

Romeo — 

Settlement 271 

Methodist Society 271 

Congregational 271 

Baptist 271 

Original Members 271 

Revival 271 

Additions 272 

Church Built ■ ....272 

Numbers 272 

Name Appears 273 

District 274 

Sabbath School 279 

Statistics .279 

Ruggles, Rev. Isaac 325 

Ryan, Henry — 

Presiding Elder 17 

Memorial of 36 

Sabbath Schools 128 

Sabin, Benjamin 291 

Sacrament, the first ... 17 

Saint Clair — 

Outline of . 218 

Old Class Paper .... 218 

John K. Smith _ 218 

Subscription for Church 219 

House not Finished 219' 

New Churches .. „ 219 

Slow Growth ... 220 

Methodist Preacher sent... .226' 

Other Churches .....227 

Numbers .227 

Growth of Country 227 

Saginaw — 

Historical ......... ......279' 

Missions 280 

Discouragements 280 

Numbers .. .. 280 

Conference Sessions 280 

Other Churches 281 

Summary 281 

Statistics ... 285 

Sapp, R. — 

At Pontiac _ 323 

Memorial of. 414 

Sawyer, Joseph ~...... 36 

Secret Societies 258 

Settlement, difficulties of. _ 107 

Sheeley, Hon. Alanson .... 129' 

Silliman, Betsey ... 247 

Simmons, William 98 

Simpson Church 457 

Smart, James S 270 

Smith, George 154 

Southwell, Martin F 276. 

Spencer, Henry F .. 382 

Spring Arbor .. .. 367 

Stacy, William „ .. 49» 

Stacy, Betsey .. 49* 



464 



HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISM IN MICHIGAN. 



PAGE. 

Staples, Allen 340 

Statistics, General Summary 421 

Strange, John 93, 137 

Struggle for Lots 375 

Swayzee, Mr 256 

Tabernacle Church 199 

Tappan, Dr. Henry P 239 

Tecumseh — 

Geography of Circuit 123 

History 244 

First Preachers 245 

Church Organized 245 

Names 245 

Quarterly Meetings 247 

Presbyterian 247 

Protestant Episcopal 248 

Baptist 249 

Temperance 129, 131 

Territory Organized 14 

Thompson, Elizabeth 363 

Thomson, Dr. Bishop Edward 189 

Tibbitts, Allen 87, 285 

Time Elapsed 421 

Trap, a 305 

Trying case, a 117 

Troy 324 

Two Ministers Appointed 92 

Unitarian notice 429 

University of Michigan 168, 239 

Visit, a 121 

Walker, George W. — 

Converted Romanist 213 

Appointed to Monroe 212 

Returned 213 

Memorial of. 213 

Walter, Mr 256 

Warren, Philip 144 



PAGE. 

Warren, Abel — 

Soldier in 1812 277 

Wounded at Queenston Heights 277 

Memorial of. 276 

Watson, Dr. J. V 208 

Weed, Ira M 253 

Wells, Noah M.— 

First Presbyterian Pastor at Detroit 200 

Memorial of. 200 

Wesleyans 418 

Whitmore, Oren 408 

Williams, Sandford S 269 

Witherell, Mrs. Amy 51 

Witherell, Hon. Dr. James 173 

Witherell, Hon. B. F. H 172 

Work Extending 128 

Woodbridge, Hon. William 172 

Woodward, Hon. A. B 170 

Wyandottes 127 

Ypsilanti — 

Sketch of Settlement 249 

First Preacher 249 

First Church 250 

Second Preacher 250 

The Grove 250 

Toils 250 

Two Young Men 252 

Circuit 253 

Station 253 

Quarterly Meeting 253 

Present State. , 253 

Presbyterian 253 

Protestant Episcopal 254 

Baptist 254 

Statistics 254 

Population 254 




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